Former Ukrainian President to face treason questioning
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will be questioned by authorities today over whether he assisted pro-Russia separatists during his tenure.
Poroshenko is accused of being part of a scheme in 2014 and 2015 to purchase coal from areas of Ukraine—Donetsk and Luhansk—which pro-Russia separatists had seized. This purchase served as a way to indirectly fund the separatist groups. Despite the accusations Poroshenko vowed to stop the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. Likewise, the then-President also pledged to end Russia’s occupation of the Crimean Peninsula.
Poroshenko lost re-election to current-President Volodymyr Zelensky for multiple reasons, including suspicions of wide-ranging corruption. The likely reality that Poroshenko was supporting Russia’s interests while claiming innocence will further damage Ukraine’s institutions in the eyes of its citizens. However, Zelensky will likely use this situation to show the process works in Ukraine by holding Poroshenko accountable.
When Poroshenko is questioned today, he will likely deny the allegations, but also provide minimal detail. He has not responded publicly to the accusations but his political party has denied them. As a result, the questioning itself likely won’t illicit new information on the scandal, though given its scope, Ukrainian officials are likely to garner enough evidence for a conviction long-term.
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