The fifth President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, speaking at the Lviv Regional Council, stated that the main task is the defense and preservation of the state. Therefore, funding the defense industry and transitioning the economy to wartime footing is the top priority. Equally important is maintaining and strengthening international support, as well as preserving democracy.
This was reported by the press service of “European Solidarity.”
“Today, we face a number of very important tasks. The first task is the defense of the state. For us, this is priority number one. It is no longer about an immediate victory, but about preserving the existence of Ukraine. Because the very existence of the country is under threat. If we stand together, Ukraine will endure. If we fall for the provocations of scoundrels who have pinned the trident to their chests, Ukraine will be destroyed,” Poroshenko said.
He emphasized that maintaining unity is fundamentally important at this time.
“That’s why it is critically important for us that funding and support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine be our top priority. Not the ‘united marathon,’ where lies are spread using taxpayers’ money, including mine. Not the ‘warm bath’ of the government, which takes away 200 billion hryvnias, including local funds, and deprives the army of weapons,” he noted.
Poroshenko added that funding the defense industry and transitioning the economy to a wartime footing—where nothing is more important than financing the army—is the top priority.
The fifth President of Ukraine stressed that it is crucial to preserve and strengthen the international coalition supporting Ukraine.
“This is an urgent matter, as today the NATO Summit begins in The Hague, where key decisions for Ukraine must be made: decisions on providing us with weapons, the necessity of convening the Ukraine-NATO Council at the level of heads of state and government, decisions on funding Ukraine, and decisions on strengthening sanctions that will force putin to stop the war,” he stated.
Poroshenko emphasized that equally important is the preservation of democracy, freedom, and local self-government. He noted that the local self-government reform initiated in 2014 resolved the issue of providing real power and financial capabilities to local authorities.
“Unfortunately, we are witnessing the rollback of these reforms, these processes—just like the rollback of freedom and democracy. We have nothing against military censorship, but we categorically reject political censorship. We do not accept the persecution of the opposition for political motives. We do not accept pressure on public organizations. We do not accept the stripping of significant powers from local self-government bodies. We are firmly convinced that the powerful voice of the local self-government system must be heard,” Poroshenko emphasized.
The leader of “European Solidarity” also spoke about a number of demands by the party’s parliamentary faction.
“We must urgently adopt an appeal to the U.S. Congress to stop the destructive processes in U.S.-Ukrainian relations that were initiated by the Oval Office disaster. Strategic partnership with the United States of America is a matter of survival for Ukraine. There is no alternative to this. For six months, the Verkhovna Rada’s statement on cooperation with Congress has not been put to a vote. This is absolutely unacceptable because the U.S. Congress decides on matters of funding, sanctions, and support, including military aid,” Poroshenko said.
The fifth president also noted the importance of returning the personal income tax to military brigades, which was taken from local self-governments by the authorities.
“Brigades will handle the allocation and use of taxpayers’ money faster, more efficiently, more honestly, and without corruption. Transitioning the economy to a wartime footing means concentrating all the state’s financial resources on the defense and security sector. We must return to the question I raised about transitioning cooperation with America to a lend-lease basis,” he listed as the next proposals of “European Solidarity.”
Poroshenko reminded that as early as 2023, he spoke about the need to build fortifications.
“Neither in Sumy Oblast, nor in the Pokrovsk direction, nor in other areas has a dense and powerful defense line been built. The money was stolen. Implementing our ‘Safe Soldier’ program means preserving soldiers’ lives. This includes providing necessary protective gear, necessary weapons, and modern technologies,” Poroshenko said.
He expressed respect for the fact that since the start of the full-scale invasion, his team and family have spent 7 billion of their own money to support the army.
“This includes investments in the defense industry, where we are developing the best tools to counter enemy technical intelligence, electronic intelligence, and electronic warfare systems. This has already saved the lives of tens of thousands of our soldiers,” Poroshenko emphasized.
He declared his firm belief that Ukraine now needs unity, competence, professionalism, and patriotism.
“This must be directed at renewing the Ukrainian government, including by changing the Cabinet. Changing the government does not mean replacing Shmyhal with Svyrydenko, because both the prime minister and the first deputy prime minister share responsibility for all current problems. It means forming a real coalition government that will allow us to secure peace, preserve Ukraine, and achieve the result that all Ukrainians so deeply desire. Because there is no nation in the world that wants peace more than we Ukrainians,” he concluded.
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