NSDC imposes sanctions against Poroshenko: ex-president calls it a crime

12 February 23:06

VIDEO

At its meeting on February 12, the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) imposed sanctions against former President, MP, and leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko. Poroshenko himself called the decision “unconstitutional” and “politically motivated,” "Komersant Ukrainian" reports

“The National Security and Defense Council has just made an unconstitutional, politically motivated decision to impose sanctions with absolutely illegal restrictions against me, Petro Poroshenko, as the leader of the opposition and the fifth president. This crime has many accomplices: Zelenskyy’s entire team, the Cabinet of Ministers, which was bent on an absurd request, and members of his National Security and Defense Council,” Poroshenko said.

It should be noted that in his evening address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had held a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, which he chairs. He did not name the people against whom sanctions were imposed, but hinted that they could be people who have earned billions of hryvnias from the Ukrainian economy.

“I have just held a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, the decision has been made and will be published tomorrow. We are defending our country and restoring justice. Everyone who destroyed Ukraine’s national security and helped Russia must be held accountable. The billions that were earned by actually selling Ukraine and Ukrainian interests, Ukrainian security, must be blocked and used to protect Ukraine and Ukrainians. This will be mandatory,” Zelensky said.

The introduction of sanctions against the former president was previously reported by a number of Ukrainian media outlets, citing government sources.

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Poroshenko: I had all the information, but hoped for common sense

Petro Poroshenko said that he was not surprised by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to impose sanctions against him. According to him, he knew in advance that this “provocation” was being prepared.

“This was not news to me. I had all the information about the preparation of this provocation, but I believed to the last that common sense would prevail. But the sick one won,” Poroshenko said.

He held President Zelensky personally responsible for this decision.

“Just imagine today, instead of preparing for crucial talks with Trump, with the US Treasury Secretary, with a number of world leaders at the Munich conference, he spent the whole day dealing with sanctions against my modest person,” Poroshenko wrote on Facebook.

“The government is not fighting corruption, but political opponents.”

Poroshenko emphasizes that Zelensky failed to solve the country’s key problems, such as war, corruption and army supplies. Instead, he began an internal “purge” of the political field:

“He has already ‘defeated’ Putin, strengthened the international coalition, provided the army with everything it needs, fought corruption and is looking for somewhere else to apply his outstanding military talents, opening a second front against the state, starting internal political purges.”

The fifth President warns that such actions could have serious consequences for the unity of the country.

“Today, Zelenskyy has dealt a colossal blow to internal unity, which our team has been strictly adhering to since February 2022 and which is our main weapon in the fight against the aggressor,” Poroshenko explained.

The former president believes that Zelenskyy is looking for someone to blame for his tragic mistakes.

“The end of the sixth year of the presidency is the time to answer for yourself, and not to blame everything on your predecessor. There are more than enough questions. And have no doubt: the Ukrainian people will ask all of them.”

“Sanctions can harm aid to the army”

Separately, Poroshenko expressed concern that sanctions could hamper the activities of his charitable foundation, which supports the Armed Forces:

“Tomorrow I am bringing another batch of aid. What upsets me the most? If the sanctions make it much more difficult for my foundation to help the Ukrainian army, a cause that our team has been living for all three years of the great war. I don’t want to talk about money today. However, we have already delivered 50 thousand drones alone. And the government has other priorities.”

“This is revenge for the truth”

“I will not give up in the fight for a European democratic Ukraine. Our team will not give up, no one and nothing will force us to change our position. This is revenge for the fact that we are the only ones who are not afraid to tell the truth and call a spade a spade.”

He called the decision against him “a demonstrative cleansing of the political field” and it could affect Ukraine’s European integration.

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Poroshenko claims that he returned from abroad the day before, although everyone warned him about possible sanctions and new suspicions. He was advised to stay abroad.

“This is a very bad déjà vu: when a couple of weeks before the big invasion, the authorities were dealing with Poroshenko. And after three years of the great war, when they should have wised up, the same thing happens. But I have to be here, now, with my country and fight against those who question its European future and its struggle in the war against the Russian aggressor.”