Political expert says Poroshenko treason case ‘a present for the Kremlin’ to destabilize Ukraine
Political infighting in Ukraine is contributing to Russia’s goal of destabilizing Ukraine, professor of political science Oleksiy Haran said on Jan. 13 on the Radio NV radio station, pointing to the treason case against former President Petro Poroshenko in particular.
“It’s not the time to settle scores with political infighting,” Haran said.
“On Christmas Eve, (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky calls on people to make peace, to forgive each other,” Haran said.
“At the same time – (the courts ordered) the seizure of Poroshenko’s property. It is clear that this is a present for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.”
Haran said the Ukrainian political opposition may have committed various “sins” against the government, which may have contributed to destabilization, but stressed that in the current situation of “war with Russia… Putin expects that someone will make a mistake.”
Earlier, Victoria Nuland, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, said Russia intends to sabotage and destabilize Ukraine from within.
“It is Russia that created this crisis out of whole cloth,” said Nuland, referring to the recent escalation of tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
“It is Russia that has amassed 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders. It is Russia that has prepared internal sabotage, destabilization, and false flags for Ukraine,” the diplomat said.
Though they are factual, Russia called Nuland’s statements “provocative.”
The Russian envoy to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, said that Russia is not waiting for “demagogic statements, but for written answers to specific Russian proposals,” i.e. NATO’s refusal from further expansion to the east and a nullification of plans to grant membership to Ukraine and Georgia.
On Dec. 17, Russia demanded that NATO and the United States provide it with what it termed “security guarantees,” wincluding a ban on Ukraine and Georgia joining the alliance. The Kremlin insist these bans be given in formal legal guarantees.
At the same time, the Kremlin has refused to provide any guarantees of non-aggression.
In turn, NATO has reaffirmed the right for each nation to choose its own security arrangements.
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