European Solidarity party does not question legitimacy of Ukrainian government – Poroshenko

Petro Poroshenko, the fifth President of Ukraine and leader of the European Solidarity party, reaffirmed his political faction's support for the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a parliamentary address on Tuesday.

“The position of our political force is that we have not questioned and do not question the legitimacy of the Ukrainian authorities, including the president,” Poroshenko said.

Poroshenko emphasized the importance of Ukraine's strength in negotiations to end the war, highlighting that both internal and external unity are crucial.

“And for that, we need to immediately overcome the parliamentary crisis, which was caused by illegal, unconstitutional decisions to persecute the opposition,” he said.

To facilitate legislative progress, the European Solidarity faction has suspended its blockade of parliament. Poroshenko hopes this will enable the passage of European laws, military support legislation, and measures to increase the military budget and protect military personnel with clear service terms.

“For this purpose, we hope to form a coalition of national unity, a government of national unity, and to reset the government. And I am confident that we will move in the right direction,” Poroshenko concluded.

This development follows Zelenskyy's announcement on February 12, 2025, about a National Security and Defense Council meeting that resulted in sanctions against Poroshenko and other individuals, including oligarchs Ihor Kolomoisky and Viktor Medvedchuk, among others.

Poroshenko criticized the decision as politically motivated, leading European Solidarity to block parliamentary proceedings on February 13.