Poroshenko Draws Parallels to Minsk Agreements: Calls for Unconditional Ceasefire
The fifth President of Ukraine and leader of European Solidarity, Petro Poroshenko, emphasized that no decisions about Ukraine should be made without Ukraine’s involvement. Speaking about the upcoming meeting in Alaska, Poroshenko stated that the only acceptable outcome is an unconditional ceasefire.
He said this on the air of Sky News, the press service of Eurosolidarity reports.
“During the Minsk process in February 2015, we had long, uninterrupted 19 hours of negotiations with Putin. And at least 15 hours of that time were about a ceasefire. Therefore, I would be glad if, as a result of these negotiations, I emphasize, there was an unconditional ceasefire, unconditional in the air, unconditional at sea, and unconditional on land. This would be a victory for the free and democratic world,” Poroshenko believes.
The leader of European Solidarity, Petro Poroshenko, spoke about his familiarity with President Trump, having worked with him during his three years in office.
“I believe he is a great deal-maker. At the same time, I understand that Putin is a major troublemaker. Therefore, we must be thoroughly prepared for this meeting. Under no circumstances should the outcome be a victory for Putin. It should demonstrate President Trump’s openness, readiness, and determination to stop the war. We must not give Putin or Russia even the slightest chance to win this war,” Poroshenko said.
He emphasized that, above all, no final solution can be reached without Ukraine’s involvement.
“During my presidency, we established the key principle: ‘nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.’ The same applies now to European security: ‘nothing about Europe without Europe.’ This will only be the first stage. I want to assure you that these will not be peace talks without Ukraine — that is beyond doubt,” the fifth president noted.
Poroshenko also stressed that there can be no agreement involving the exchange of territories.
“Forget about it. We cannot cede territory to an aggressor who launched an invasion against a sovereign and independent European country. What we need is a ceasefire,” he said.
He pointed out that a so-called peace agreement must be prepared.
“No other nation in the world desires peace more than Ukrainians. We are paying an enormous price for this war. In preparing the peace agreement, together with our European partners, all NATO member states, and with the leading role of the United States, we must achieve results, bearing in mind that our Ukrainian land is not a bargaining chip,” Poroshenko warned.
The former president noted that this stance reflects not only the position of Ukraine’s current leadership, the Ukrainian people, or the opposition leader.
“This is a dangerous precedent — one that would allow any aggressor to gain additional territory as a profit from war. We must not allow this. We must fix this firmly, and it must be based on international law. I do not doubt that President Trump fully understands this,” Poroshenko said.
He also highlighted the clear and united position of European leaders: “I welcome the very strong statement by the European Council on Foreign Affairs. I deeply appreciate the powerful messages we have received from Prime Minister Starmer, the President of France, the Chancellor of Germany, and all European leaders. I know them personally, fully trust them, and count on their support.”
“And one more recommendation — I have said this to President Trump many times: please don’t trust Putin. Please don’t be afraid of Putin. Please don’t be afraid of Ukraine’s victory, of Europe’s victory, or the victory of the free democratic world. If Putin refuses to agree to a full ceasefire, several urgent steps must be taken immediately. Ukraine needs more weapons, including offensive arms,” Poroshenko stated.
He concluded by emphasizing that Putin must not doubt that he will pay the price for his catastrophic and reckless actions.
“Second, there must be relentless sanctions. We have to limit Putin’s ability to finance this war. Third, additional financial assistance to Ukraine is essential, particularly through the use of frozen Russian assets. We have a source, and it must not come at the expense of taxpayers in the free democratic world. The most important message is this: the only way to achieve peace with Putin is peace through strength. I believe President Trump understands and acknowledges this,” Petro Poroshenko summarized.
By the way, European leaders issued a joint statement in support of Ukraine on the eve of Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 26 out of 27 heads of state of the European Union made their position public, except Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
As a reminder, Trump announced that on Friday, August 15, he will travel to Russia, where he plans to meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
As reported, European politicians and the Ukrainian leadership sharply commented on the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, scheduled for August 15. They emphasized that the future of Ukraine and the security of Europe cannot be decided without the direct participation of Kyiv and Brussels.
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