Ukrainian presidential candidate Petro Poroshenko told reporters on Monday that his victory in Sunday’s election should show to Alyaksandr Lukashenka the advantages of an “honest victory” and the “support of the whole world.”
My personal example should convince Alyaksandr Lukashenka that an honest victory and the support of the whole world is something one should aspire to,” Mr. Poroshenko, who is reported to have won more than 53 percent of the vote, said when asked by BelaPAN about the advantages of a democratic change of government.
Mr. Poroshenko described his relationship with Mr. Lukashenka as “rather long and good.” “The fact that we found a compromise regarding state border at some point, that we efficiently found a way out of the trade and economic conflict that had beset Ukrainian-Belarusian relations for a long time shows that we’re able to reach a compromise in difficult situations,” he said.
Mr. Poroshenko said that participation in the European Union’s Eastern Partnership program should be the main incentive for the democratization of Belarus.
“I can say that if our revolution had not won, the Eastern Partnership program would be the European Union’s failure,” he said. “I’m convinced that after the victory, including my victory in the presidential election, completely new prospects are opening up not only for Ukraine. Today we can speak about a perfectly intelligible and clear stance of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine.”
Mr. Poroshenko stressed that Belarus should take advantage of all opportunities offered by the Eastern Partnership.
The EU invites Belarus to participate in a whole range of programs within the framework of the Eastern Partnership that do not run counter to Mr. Lukashenka’s foreign policy, he said. As for the need for democratic change, it is absolutely obvious, and Ukraine holds out hope of cooperating with Belarus in this area, Mr. Poroshenko said.
