MOSCOW, September 6 (RIA Novosti) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in an interview with BBC Saturday he was not confident that a ceasefire in the east of Ukraine would be long-term.
A BBC correspondent Stephen Sackur asked the Ukrainian leader if a lasting ceasefire in the war-torn region is now within reach.
“That’s one of the most difficult questions. So, I am absolutely not confident. I am confident that Ukraine as a state and me as Ukrainian leader are doing everything possible to have peace in my country. I do my best to stop the war, to stop the massacre against Ukrainian civilians and Ukrainian forces,” Poroshenko said.
According to the Ukrainian leader, the war will continue if “more and more Russian troops are on [Ukrainian] territory,” and people of Luhansk and Donetsk will be affected by that.
“From this point of view, the Ukrainian initiative, supported by the whole world is supported by people of Donbas, because hundred percent of people of Donbas want peace,” Poroshenko added.
Since the beginning of the military conflict, Kiev and the West have been accusing Russia of sending troops and weapons to independence supporters in Ukraine’s southeastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. No evidence of the Russian military being present in Ukraine has ever been presented.
Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Ukrainian crisis, urging Kiev to stop the bloodshed and establish a direct dialogue with representatives of Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
