February 23, 2018

In defense of Poroshenko

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Dear Editor:

There appears to be a coordinated effort to denigrate Petro Poroshenko as a viable candidate for re-election. No doubt, Vladimir Putin and his FSB agents are seeking to destabilize Ukraine, including the upcoming elections in 2019, specifically, by tying Mr. Poroshenko to corruption and causing dissension among Ukrainians.

Corruption is a very important issue to Ukraine’s long-term viability. Certainly, there is much to be done in Ukraine. Mr. Putin has picked this issue because it affects every Ukrainian citizen; there is no quick fix. And, by highlighting Ukraine’s corruption problem, attention is not on Russia’s own mega-corruption. But, this issue is being magnified by Mr. Putin in order to discredit Mr. Poroshenko.

Corruption is a serious problem that destroys civil societies from within and must be dealt with at the right time. Right now, Ukraine is at war, and its survival is at stake. Consider President Poroshenko’s record:

1. After years of trying, Mr. Poroshenko has finally managed to obtain lethal defensive weapons for Ukraine.

2. As of 2014, Ukraine’s military was decimated by Viktor Yanukovych; today, the military has been rebuilt, with work ahead.

3. Mr. Poroshenko has a personal working relationship with America’s government that is unheard of at any time since its independence.

4. Congress voted 419-3 in favor of maintaining sanctions against Russia and providing lethal weapons to Ukraine; the Senate voted 98-2. Today, bilateral support like this is unique.

5. The European Union signed a trade pact with Ukraine to provide new markets for Ukraine’s goods – this has stabilized the hryvnia.

6. The EU now permits Ukrainians to visit without a visa. This special treatment accorded Ukraine further troubles Mr. Putin as Russians ask: Why is this for Ukrainians but not for us?

7. Mr. Poroshenko has enacted laws requiring the use of Ukrainian in schools.

8. Mr. Poroshenko convinced European countries and Turkey to drop support for Russia’s southern gas pipeline.

9. Ukraine and the U.S. are working for U.S. natural gas to flow from Poland to Ukraine. This will help make Ukraine energy independent of Russia.

10. No single event has caused Mr. Putin greater concern and angst, than seeing U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis in Kyiv reviewing Ukrainian and American marching troops on Ukraine’s Independence Day.

President Poroshenko is a very effective leader. This list of positive contributions alone is why Mr. Poroshenko must be re-elected.

Ask yourself: Who could do a better job for Ukraine? If such a person exits, why focus on tearing down Mr. Poroshenko over corruption rather than advocating someone else? Clearly, because the real purpose of the corruption protests, including that led by Mikheil Saakashvili, is not to find a better Ukrainian leader, but to end up with no Ukrainian leader.

If what Ukraine wants is another Mr. Yanukovych or an untested leader, Russia has shown Ukraine the way to get what it wishes.

Bonita Springs, Fla.

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