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WASHINGTON —Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, now leader of the opposition European Solidarity Party, sat down with Voice of America during a visit to Washington to attend the annual forum of the International Democracy Union, an alliance of center-right political parties.
While in the U.S. capital, Poroshenko met with Biden administration officials and members of the incoming Trump administration to share his assessment of the situation Ukraine is facing more than two and a half years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, and his vision of how to end the conflict.
The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
VOA: How would you describe the situation on the front lines in Ukraine?
Petro Poroshenko, former Ukrainian president: Every week, I travel to the front lines to deliver needed equipment and armaments. Russia is increasing its pressure. Russia has more sophisticated weapons than even half a year [ago]. Ukrainian soldiers are tired because some have served for over two and a half years, but they still wouldn't allow Russians to break through the Ukrainian positions.
At the moment, we shouldn't think about offensive operations but [how] to strengthen fortifications. I appreciate the decision of the United States government to give us anti-infantry mines. Having three, four, five kilometers of a minefield is an excellent response to the new tactics of Russia, which is penetrating Ukrainian positions with small groups of five to 12 persons with the support of Russian artillery, which has an unlimited number of artillery shells.
If we have fortifications, minefields and reconnaissance drones, including thermal night drones and [an] unlimited number of FPV drones to destroy these small groups, [an] effective radio-electronic warfare system, including against Russian reconnaissance drones, I'm confident we can keep [the] defense lines.
VOA: Ukraine is under pressure to start negotiating. Is this a good time for that?
Poroshenko: No other nation in the world wants peace more than Ukrainians because we pay an enormous price. However, the negotiations should start when both sides are ready. Everybody asks if Ukraine is ready, and nobody asks if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is ready for these negotiations. Putin is not ready. We should undertake enormous efforts to prepare Putin for these negotiations. What language should we speak to Putin? The language of strength, including sophisticated and modern weapons for Ukraine. Putin should feel that he is paying a high price. We need stronger sanctions to destroy the shadow fleet. The sanctions should lower Russian exports from $600 [billion] to $200 billion to cut Putin's ability to finance the war.
VOA: Do you think the new Trump administration will support your vision?
Poroshenko: I strongly believe in the global leadership of the United States. I worked with [President Donald] Trump in 2016-2019. Meeting him was one of my first meetings as president of Ukraine. Our meeting was scheduled for five minutes - just to shake hands and take a photo - and lasted for two and a half hours. As a result, he gave Ukraine the first lethal weapons after three years of the war, the legendary Javelins [anti-tank missiles]. They saved lots of lives in the Donbas region. Even without additional consultation with our European partners, we agreed that the United States introduce sanctions against the company contractor for the North Stream 2 [natural gas pipeline], which was vital. In President Trump's presence we discussed with [his former CIA Director Mike] Pompeo the coordination of efforts to recognize the Ukrainian independent church. Trump is a person of results, not process. He is decisive enough to make tough decisions.
VOA: Trump nominated General Keith Kellogg as the U.S. special representative for Ukraine and Russia. What do you think about him and his ideas?
Poroshenko: I've met him several times when he was a member of [then] Vice President [Mike] Pence's team. I welcome President Trump's approach to appoint a special presidential envoy to Ukraine. When President Trump appointed Kurt Volker [as U.S. special representative for Ukraine negotiations], that was extremely efficient. And now, General Kellogg's level of professionalism gives us careful optimism.
We can stop the war in 24 hours, as President Trump promised, and without a single shot [fired] or a dollar spent. We need just one signature for one treaty - the Washington Treaty [the April 1949 treaty establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance]. Inviting Ukraine to join NATO will be a powerful demonstration to Putin that we are not afraid of his blackmail. We are decisive enough, and we want to have sustainable security on the continent.
I propose my plan - the "Poroshenko Plan." Within one year, partners guarantee that Ukraine will get a full [NATO] membership if it meets specific criteria and fulfills certain conditions. During that year, while we are not in NATO, we will receive the same security guarantees as Finland and Sweden before their full NATO membership. During that year, I also suggest having peacekeepers under the mandate of the United Nations Security Council to guarantee a ceasefire. That's how to stop the war in 24 hours.