Former President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, has strongly criticized the sanctions imposed on him by the Ukrainian government, calling them an "attack on freedom and democracy." Speaking in an interview with the German tabloid Bild on March 18, Poroshenko, who served as Ukraine's president from 2014 to 2019 and currently leads the opposition European Solidarity party, expressed his outrage over the sanctions. He was among several political figures and oligarchs sanctioned by Kyiv in February, which many speculated were linked to his high treason case.

Poroshenko’s assets have been frozen, and he claims that he is barred from leaving the country. He described the sanctions as unconstitutional and illegal, emphasizing that there has been no court decision supporting the actions. When questioned about U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Poroshenko responded by calling Putin the real dictator, denying that Zelensky was a dictator. Poroshenko’s remarks were in contrast to Trump’s accusations that Zelensky was leading Ukraine without elections, which Trump used to support his claim that Zelensky's government was undemocratic.

Although Trump’s statements about Zelensky stirred speculation about U.S. contacts with Ukrainian opposition figures, including Poroshenko’s party members, the former president stated that he only had "public and transparent" communication with U.S. partners. He also dismissed the idea of holding elections during wartime, citing Ukraine’s Constitution, which forbids elections under martial law.

Poroshenko and Zelensky have long been political adversaries, with Poroshenko being soundly defeated by Zelensky in the 2019 presidential elections. The rivalry continues as Poroshenko has faced charges of high treason, related to his alleged cooperation with Russian-backed separatists during the 2014-2015 conflict, leading to profits from coal supplies. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.

Turning to the battlefield, Poroshenko stressed that Ukraine's primary focus should be on defense. He argued that the country must stop losing people and territory and should prioritize defending its land using fortifications, minefields, and modern anti-aircraft defenses. He advised against any further offensive operations, stating that Ukraine should "forget the word 'offensive operation.'" As the conflict continues, Ukraine has been enduring a prolonged fight against Russian forces along a 1,000-kilometer front.