Ukrainian presidential candidate Poroshenko claims Kiev will mend ties with Moscow fast

World May 15, 2014, 8:23

Businessman Petro Poroshenko, who will run for president in Ukraine's upcoming elections, says it will take up to three months to normalize relations between Kiev and Moscow

KIEV, May 15. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukrainian presidential candidate, parliament deputy and businessman Petro Poroshenko believes Kiev will be able to normalize relations with Moscow within three months, Poroshenko’s press service said.

“I think it will take up to three months to normalize of relations with Russia,” Poroshenko said on Wednesday during a meeting with students and professors of the Yaroslav the Wise National Law University in the east Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

The Kiev authorities, he said, should not introduce a visa regime. “This will only complicate movements of ordinary citizens,” he said, adding that he hopes Russian markets will be open for Ukrainian enterprises.

Poroshenko called for roundtables of national unity to be held not only in Kiev, but also in Kharkiv and in Donetsk. “There’s no alternative to roundtables,” he said.

 

Blocking Russian TV channels in Ukraine

On Tuesday, May 13, Poroshenko called for blocking the access to Russian TV channels in Ukraine.

“Today we need to protect television towers,” Poroshenko said live on Ukrainian private channel ICTV. “If it’s necessary, then (we will have to) mine (them). Anyway, people can’t be exposed to Russian propaganda as it creates a big problem,” the presidential candidate added.

He also thanked all Ukrainian TV channels for their initiative to take off the air series and movies about the Russian armed forces.

Poroshenko earlier told media he had provided assistance to Euromaidan protesters in Kiev. “Euromaidan” is the unofficial name for anti-government protests in Ukraine that started when President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign an association agreement with the European Union last year to study the deal more thoroughly.

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