The former President of Ukraine, Poroshenko, has been prevented from leaving the country. The Ukrainian secret service accuses the entrepreneur of wanting to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Orban.
Ukrainian border officials have prevented former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko from leaving the country. The reason for the measure was a planned meeting between Poroshenko and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Such a meeting would have harmed Ukrainian interests, said the Ukrainian secret service SBU. Poroshenko was therefore turned away at the border.
Poroshenko’s political party, European Solidarity, said the former president only planned meetings in Poland and the United States. The party warned the SBU not to interfere in politics. The SBU, however, stated that Poroshenko wanted to meet Orban, who maintains relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and rejects starting talks with Ukraine about EU membership.
The ex-president is on trial for treason
Under martial law, Ukrainian officials must obtain permission to travel abroad. A trial for high treason is underway in Ukraine against Poroshenko. He is said to have done business with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine during his time in office. Poroshenko describes the allegations as an invention of his successor Volodymyr Zelensky.
Poroshenko, who owns a confectionery company and is one of the richest men in Ukraine, was elected president in 2014. He took a pro-Western course after his pro-Russian predecessor Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown in the wake of mass protests on the Maidan.
In 2019, Poroshenko ran for president again. However, he was defeated by Zelensky, who won a landslide victory on his promise to fight corruption and curb the influence of oligarchs.