Ukraine's Ex-President Poroshenko Revealed Key Members of His European Solidarity Party

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on June 9 revealed the key members of his newly-rebranded European Solidarity party, weeks ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections.

Earlier in May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dissolved the Verkhovna Rada – Ukraine’s lawmaking body – and called for early elections on July 21.

The European Solidarity party’s goals include full EU and NATO membership for Ukraine within the next decade.

Poroshenko will lead the party while parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy will be second in command. The ex-president has referred to Parubiy as a “fantastic patriot of Ukraine.”

“There should be a Ukrainian force against Medvechuk’s [pro-Russia party],” he said.

Next in rank is Irina Gerashchenko, the current vice-speaker of the Rada.

In a recent speech, Poroshenko slammed Zelenskyy’s political appointments of long-time media industry allies: “Someone appoints people from the Kvartal 95 [TV Studio] – for us it’s more important that we appoint those who came from 95th Brigade [of the armed forces].”

The former president introduced Mikhail Zabrodsky a veteran of the airborne assault forces of the 95th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Singer Sophia Fedina was also tapped for a key position in the party.

The top ten list also includes:

– Mustafa Dzhemilev, leader of the Crimean Tatars

– Volunteer Yana Zinkevich

– Oleg Synyutka, ex-head of Lviv Regional State Administration

– Ahtem Chiygoz , deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people

– Ivanna Klimpush-Tsintsadze, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine  .