Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to Run for Reelection

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Speaking at a forum on January 29, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko finally confirmed that he will be running in the upcoming presidential elections.

“A sense of deep responsibility to the country, to our contemporaries, to past and future generations of Ukrainians has prompted me to make the decision to run for President of Ukraine again,” Poroshenko stated in his 30-minute speech at the “From Kruty to Brussels: We go our own way” forum.

His speech covered a number of other topics, including his aim of restoring Ukrainian territorial integrity politically and diplomatically and an international UN mission in occupied Donbas.

The incumbent president also stated that one of his key aims is for Ukraine to apply for EU membership by 2024.

“Many did not believe that the Association Agreement would be signed. Many did not believe that we would win a great diplomatic battle for its ratification….In 2024, we will submit our application to the EU. I have no doubt that we will receive it and start implementing the NATO Membership Action Plan,” Poroshenko said.

He added that, while Ukraine has a close relationship with the alliance, receiving full NATO and EU membership is the only way to “permanently and irrevocably guarantee state independence and national security."

In the latest sociological surveys, Poroshenko is polling second, behind former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. At present, 22 candidates have official registered with the Central Election Commission.

The presidential elections are set to take place on March 31, 2019.