With Ukraine’s policy heated, the former president sees the opening

On the first day of Russia’s comprehensive invasion, President Folodimir Zelinski shook hands with Ukraine and his main political opponent at home, which led to their fierce competition to focus on the enemy. The bustling policy in the country was very sleeping to a large extent during the three years that followed.

Now, as the Trump administration’s peace talks have sparked horizons to stop the elections and the final elections, political tremors have returned.

Ukrainian politicians pass at home and communicate behind the scenes to the Trump administration, which has not been hidden Contempt for Mr. ZellinskiAlthough he was on the world stage to stand in Russia.

Petro O. Poroshenko, a former Ukrainian president and leader of a competitor, says the best way to smooth peace talks is to introduce opposition figures into the government.

Mr. Poroshenko had previously proposed the idea of ​​reforming Ukraine’s policy to form a national unity government, which could benefit his party. The suggestion after Mr. Zellinski A controversial oval office meeting with President Trump In February and invited by the Republican Senate for him to step down.

Mr. Zelensky has not shown any interest in forming an alliance of ministers that would include opposition figures. Instead, his government increased pressure on opponents by law enforcement and security devices.

The mayor of Kyiv, Vitaly Klitschko, said that Mr. Zelinski misused the use of the fighting law to cancel the city council. In January, the National Security Council in Ukraine froze Mr. Poroshenko’s bank accounts with no specific accusations.

“We have no choice other than an alliance of national unity, which is the government of national unity,” Mr. Poroshenko said in an interview on Wednesday. “We must have a unit in Parliament and to show unity in the country. The results of this decision should be a stop for war.”

The term of Mr. Zelinski’s state was extended for a period of five years, which was scheduled to be expired last year, according to martial law. The elections are prohibited by law under martial and non -practical rulings as long as Ukraine remains in war.

Nearly a month ago, Ukraine offered a month -old ceasefire for a month that Russia has not accepted. Trump Administration Envoy, Steve Witkeov, He traveled to Russia on FridayPerhaps in an attempt to revive negotiations.

Mr. Poroshenko said that the talks can get a boost if Mr. Zellinski allows political opponents to enter the government, given that Mr. Trump has him Mr. Zelinski called “a dictator without elections.” This was criticized by Russian President Vladimir F. Putin, who said he would not sign a peace settlement with Mr. Zellinski.

Mr. Poroshenko said he did not agree to Mr. Trump’s evaluation of Mr. Zelinski as a dictator.

But with the possibility of a ceasefire and elections, Mr. Poroshenko took to criticize the president publicly. The penalties set by the National Security Council on Mr. Poroshenko frozen his bank accounts and can exclude him from future elections.

Mr. Poroshenko described the sanctions against him “disastrous, unconstitutional and external.” He said that if he was arrested, he will say that he will say that Ukraine is on the dictatorship road.

The intense competition between the two Ukrainian leaders returns years. Mr. Poroshenko led Ukraine from 2014 to 2019. After Mr. Zellinski Defeat itThen, the new government, Mr. Poroshenko, interrogated as a witness in a wave of criminal cases that Mr. Poroshenko described as a political motivation.

Although the tanks collected on the border before the invasion of Russia in 2022, the fighting continued in Ukraine: the prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Mr. Poroshenko, although the judge rejected him.

Mr. Poroshenko has the support base in Ukrainian national policy, especially in West and Central Ukraine, while Mr. Zellinski won wide support throughout the country, including Russian speakers in central and eastern Ukraine.

The two men met on the morning of February 24, 2022, when Russia began its attack, to allocate their competition. Mr. Zelinski asked what he could do for Mr. Poroshenko. The former president said that he asked 5,000 Kalashnikovs to arm his supporters against the Russians, and that Mr. Zelinsky had provided weapons.

Mr. Poroshenko, 59, has a little chance to win the presidential elections. He was always in third or less, Mr. Zellinski and the former army commander, General Valerie Zalozni.

Political analysts say Mr. Poroshenko may increase for an electoral alliance with General Zaluzni, who works as an ambassador to Britain and is very popular in Ukraine. He has mostly silent about politics.

In the interview, Mr. Poroshenko said he met Mr. Zaluzni in London, but he refused to reveal the details of their conversations. Assistant to Mr. Poroshenko said that before a signed copy of the general’s biography, “Iron General”.

Mr. Zellinski also negotiated with the Trump administration, Mr. Poroshenko gave advice through brokers.

“Trump can ask unexpected questions,” said Mr. Poroshenko. “

At one meeting during the first Trump administration, Mr. Poroshenko said, Mr. Trump asked whether he could have a sincere answer to a question. Mr. Poroshenko said yes. Then Mr. Trump came up closely and asked, “Tell me, is the Russian Crimea?”

Mr. Poroshenko said he answered that the Crimea, the peninsula that Russia seized in 2014, was Ukrainian, and asked what was the question. Mr. Trump said then a Russian friend said that the peninsula should be Russian.

Mr. Poroshenko has pursued a foreign policy of transactions with the United States, which partially resulted in. This included coal purchases from Pennsylvania, which has maintained some jobs in the state of swing, although Ukraine has abundant charcoal on its own.

Before the end of the first period of Mr. Trump, the administration submitted an official statement, known as the Crimea Declaration, which confirmed as a US policy that the Crimea was the Ukrainian.

“It is not easy,” said Mr. Poroshenko about Mr. Trump. “But now is the time of diplomacy.”