Update (1713 EST): Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Herashchenko has confirmed that Ukrainian border guards denied former President Poroshenko’s request to leave the country, calling it a “business trip”.
Telegram users have reported that Former Ukrainian President Poroshenko is currently being held at the Rava-Russia border checkpoint between Ukraine and Poland.
He is reportedly to attend the NATO parliamentary assembly on May 29th in Vilnius, Lithuania. It was originally supposed to be held in Kyiv, but due to the Russian invasion, was relocated. According to the official page of the Ukrainian European Solidarity Party, which Poroshenko leads, he is scheduled to attend the assembly.
On 20 December 2021, Poroshenko was accused of state treason, aiding terrorist organizations and financing terrorism due to allegedly organizing the purchase of coal from separatist-controlled areas of Ukraine together with pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk. On January 15th he returned to Ukraine to refute the charges against him. The courts reached an agreement with him requiring he has to submit his passport to the authorities, not leave Kyiv or the Kyiv Oblast without first receiving permission from the court or the prosecutors office, and inform the authorities if his place of employment or residence change. Since the invasion, the Zelensky government has reportedly been working with the former President to unify the country.
His attempt to leave the country, supposedly to attend the assembly presents a conundrum for the Zelensky government and it is not clear at this time if he will be allowed into Poland.
Poroshenko is currently in command of a battalion of the Territorial Defence Forces at an undisclosed location and has appeared on television multiple times since the invasion on February 24th, rallying Ukrainians to the defense of their nation.
