Ukrainian officials detain former President Poroshenko at the border

2023-12-02 22:09:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ukraine's security service announced on Saturday that it has barred former President Petro Poroshenko from leaving the country, as Russia planned to use his planned meeting with Hungary's prime minister to harm Ukraine's interests.

Mr Poroshenko's political party, European Solidarity, said the former president had planned meetings only in Poland and the United States and warned the SBU security service not to get involved in politics.

Mr. Poroshenko was refused exit from the country at the border on Friday.

The SBU security service said Mr Poroshenko was to meet Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who maintains close ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and opposes opening talks on Ukraine's membership of the European Union.

According to the Ukrainian security service, Russia is preparing a series of provocations to discredit Ukraine among allies as the war continues for 21 months. No evidence was presented for these hints.

Regarding the specific meeting, the SBU service said that the Hungarian Prime Minister Orban "systematically takes positions against Ukraine" and that he is "a friend of Putin" and requested the lifting of sanctions against Moscow for the military attack in Ukraine.

Under state of emergency legislation, Ukrainian officials must obtain prior approval to travel abroad. The deputy speaker of parliament, Oleksandr Korniyenko, said the permit for Mr. Poroshenko had been revoked after receiving a letter on which he did not comment.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's office did not comment, and Hungarian Prime Minister Orban's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Mr. Poroshenko served as president of Ukraine during the period 2014-2019. He accused President Zelenskyy's government on Friday of canceling the permit and playing politics ahead of the election. They fought a bitter electoral battle in the 2019 presidential election, when Mr. Zelenskyy won convincingly over incumbent President Poroshenko.

President Zelenskyy said last month that it is not the right time to hold presidential elections. Under normal conditions, they would be held in March 2024, but the elections are suspended due to the state of emergency.