Kathrine Frich
As negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine continue, political tensions are resurfacing both on the battlefield and within Ukraine’s leadership.
With U.S.-mediated talks ongoing and European leaders pressing for a role, questions are growing over strategy, leverage and the long-term consequences of any settlement.
KGB warning
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has urged President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump to approach any negotiations with Moscow from a position of strength.
In an interview with POLITICO in Munich, Poroshenko cautioned against trusting the Kremlin leader.
“Remember that he is a KGB officer,” he said, arguing that Vladimir Putin’s ambitions extend far beyond securing a simple peace agreement.
Poroshenko expressed concern that these principles are being overlooked in the current round of talks in Geneva, where Russian and Ukrainian delegations are meeting with U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
‘Restore the Soviet Union’
Poroshenko, who led Ukraine after the 2014 Euromaidan uprising, said he believes Putin’s goals are strategic and historic in nature.
“Putin wants to restore the Soviet Union. He wants to rebuild the Russian Empire. I have no doubt about it. He dreams of his place in history, regardless of the cost in lost lives, Russian lives and, of course, Ukrainian lives,” he said.
He argued that Moscow’s territorial demands in eastern Ukraine are less about land and more about destabilizing Ukraine internally.
Any territorial concessions would require a referendum, potentially fracturing the country’s unity, he said.
“This is the Russian scenario. Remember, Putin is a KGB officer. He is a specialist in this kind of thing.”
Defending Minsk
Poroshenko also defended the 2014 and 2015 Minsk agreements, which Zelensky criticized during the 2019 presidential campaign.
“But at least Minsk bought me five years to strengthen the Ukrainian state, the Church and the army,” Poroshenko said, arguing that the time gained proved critical when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
He supports greater European involvement in negotiations, echoing calls from French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Europe has every right to be at the table, because it is now financing Ukraine. However, without Trump, without America, it is impossible to reach a peace agreement. The role of the United States is important, but without Europe nothing can be done.”
Security guarantees
Poroshenko said post-war security guarantees must include foreign troops on the ground.
“There must be troops on the ground. Whose? America’s, because without them the conflict will break out again,” he said, despite Trump having ruled out sending U.S. forces.
Amid political tensions at home, Poroshenko warned Ukraine could face a parliamentary crisis requiring a national unity government.
“I do not set any conditions. I do not need any positions. But it becomes a matter of survival for Ukraine,” he said.
Sources: POLITICO, Digi24.
