Poroshenko returns: frozen accounts, new ambitions, and the old power struggle

With the end of the nearly three-year-long political lull following Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s political scene is springing back to life. The potential revival of peace negotiations under the auspices of the Trump administration and the prospect of a ceasefire are bringing old rivalries back to the forefront—most notably between President Volodymyr Zelensky and his chief opponent, former President Petro Poroshenko.

Poroshenko, who led Ukraine until 2019, has stated that effective peace negotiations require an expanded government that includes opposition figures. He is once again promoting the idea of forming a national unity government, which he says could strengthen the country’s internal front and boost the legitimacy of its leadership on the international stage.

“We cannot win alone. We need political unity to achieve peace,” Poroshenko said in an interview.

He added that such a government would serve as a symbol of national consolidation and help deflect criticism from both the West and Russia.

His initiative came shortly after a tense meeting between Zelensky and Donald Trump in February. A Republican U.S. senator even called for Zelensky’s resignation, and Trump himself accused the Ukrainian president of authoritarianism—an accusation echoed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Although Poroshenko distances himself from Trump’s criticism by not labeling Zelensky a “dictator,” he has increasingly expressed disagreement with the current administration’s actions. Sanctions imposed on him by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council froze his assets, and he now fears potential arrest—which he claims would signal a shift toward dictatorship.

Zelensky’s presidential term officially expired last year but was extended due to martial law. Under wartime conditions, elections cannot be held. Still, rumors of a possible ceasefire and upcoming elections have reignited political activity in the country.

Poroshenko, who retains support among nationalist-leaning voters in western and central Ukraine, is also exploring a political alliance with former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Zaluzhnyi, now Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, enjoys broad popularity and has thus far refrained from making political statements.

During the Russian invasion in February 2022, Poroshenko and Zelensky temporarily set aside their differences. Zelensky even handed Poroshenko weapons for the defense of Kyiv. But with rising political pressure, their rivalry is once again intensifying.

Despite consistently ranking third in the polls—behind Zelensky and Zaluzhnyi—Poroshenko maintains influence and clear political ambitions.

Recalling his past diplomacy with Trump, Poroshenko shared how the former U.S. president once asked him, “Is Crimea Russia?” Poroshenko replied that Crimea is Ukrainian, regardless of what Trump’s “friend” from Russia claimed. At the time, in 2018, the Trump administration officially declared Crimea to be part of Ukraine.

“With Trump, it’s always hard to predict where the conversation will go. But now more than ever, we must be prepared for anything,” Poroshenko concluded.