Ukraine Should “Stop Working for TV,” Says Poroshenko

The former president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, spoke Thursday to assembled dignitaries and onlookers at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC about the future of the eastern European country. 

“This is a decisive day for the future of Ukraine,” Poroshenko said, arguing that previous Ukrainian triumphs in defending Kiev and in its 2022 counteroffensive were successful because of technological and military aid from western countries. 

Further success, he argued, was likewise dependent on the continued support of Western powers. “Putin has larger manpower and military budget [sic], but Ukraine can fight smarter, with higher motivation and better technology.”

He also spoke of the current challenges Ukraine faces militarily and domestically. Russia is not fighting the war itself, he said. Seventy percent of its attack drones are Iranian, and 45 percent of the ballistic missiles fired at Ukraine are of North Korean provenance. The cost of western military goods, Poroshenko also said, is also a major hurdle: Ukraine buys American-made artillery shells which cost $5,000, compared to a cost of only $400 for the North Korean-supplied shells used by Russia.

Poroshenko also expressed a number of criticisms about the past and current conduct of the Ukrainian military. When asked why the 2023 offensive failed, he pointed out that the offensive had been broadcast ahead of time for weeks beforehand to raise support from friendly powers. The campaign, per Poroshenko, was fundamentally a PR operation

“We should stop using the people of Ukraine as fuel for [meat grinder] operations,” he argued. “We should stop working for TV and start working to save the soldiers.”

At the urging of the host, the former ambassador John Herbst, Poroshenko also explained what his advice to the incoming Trump administration would be. Most importantly, he said, NATO accession for Ukraine is the only guarantee for any potential peace deal.