Viktor Yushchenko tells Maynooth event Putin is not only ‘problem’ for Ukraine
Former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko at Maynooth University: During his time in office , he pushed for greater ties with the EU and the West. Photograph: Maxwell’s
Mr Yushchenko, who was president of Ukraine between 2005 and 2010, had pushed for greater ties with the European Union and the West during his time in power, over the country’s relationship with Russia. Commenting on the lack of progress Ukraine saw during a counteroffensive this year, he said problems with “logistics” meant expected gains for the army had not materialised.
Mr Yushchenko said if current Ukrainian leaders took decisions that were not “honest”, there would be mass protests on the streets. Mr Yushchenko said when he was contesting elections in 2004, Ukraine was a “divided nation” as a result of years of Russian propaganda. “I wouldn’t have said we were completely formed as a nation even 10 years ago… but now we can say we are a united nation today as never before,” he said.