Petro Poroshenko, the former president of Ukraine, finds himself at the centre of a political storm as Ukrainian authorities have once again barred him from leaving the country. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) released a statement shedding light on the incident, asserting that it was at their behest that Poroshenko’s departure was prohibited, citing concerns over his planned meeting with Viktor Orbán.
On Friday, Poroshenko made it public that he had been prevented from leaving Ukraine, a move that he claims occurred despite his possessing all requisite documentation. The former head of state, now actively involved in opposition politics, detailed the incident in a video recorded at the Ukrainian–Polish border crossing.
Ukrainian Deputy Speaker of Parliament Oleksandr Korniyenko later confirmed that he had personally revoked Poroshenko’s travel permit, citing a confidential letter as the reason, the contents of which could not be disclosed.
Poroshenko explained that his intended journey had a dual purpose—addressing the truck blockade in Poland and rallying support in the United States for Ukraine’s war efforts against Russia.
Meanwhile, the SBU released information suggesting that
Russian intelligence services were orchestrating an international ‘provocation’ against Ukraine,
aiming to weaken foreign support and foster internal discord.
Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Relations Zoltán Kovács said in response to the events that ‘News reports such as this and these political purges are yet another indication that Ukraine is not yet ready for European Union membership.’
The SBU explicitly mentioned their concern about Poroshenko’s planned meeting with Viktor Orbán,
alleging that such encounters are exploited by Russian intelligence services to disseminate pro-Russian narratives and influence Ukraine’s military operations. In response to these developments, the SBU urged Ukrainian authorities to consider ‘enemy plans’ when approving foreign travels. Subsequently, the parliament decided to revoke Poroshenko’s travel permit.
Poroshenko’s political party, European Solidarity, issued an extensive statement before the SBU’s announcement. They claimed that they had informed the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance about Poroshenko’s planned visits and topics of discussion. The party contended that Poroshenko, seeking foreign assistance on various policy matters, including US support and the Polish truck blockade, had been unlawfully denied the opportunity to leave the country, not for the first time.
The communication also hinted at suspicions that the withdrawal of the travel permit might be linked to Poroshenko’s planned visit to Hungary. The party pointed out Hungary’s veto power at the upcoming EU summit, suggesting that Poroshenko’s meetings were strategic in light of crucial decisions related to Ukraine.
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