ANKARA
Ukraine’s battle in the east of the country is a fight for European security, President Petro Poroshenko has told an audience at the World Economic Forum.
Poroshenko told delegates in the Swiss resort of Davos on Wednesday: “We need European solidarity to achieve peace. There is no military solution to the Ukrainian conflict."
There are 9,000 Russian troops on Ukrainian territory and more than 500 tanks and military carriers, Poroshenko said.
“We demand that Russia respect the Minsk Accord and withdraw troops. If this is not aggression, what is aggression?” he asked.
Poroshenko insisted that, as soon as the withdrawal stipulated by the Sept. 5 accord agreed to in the Belarus capital of Minsk was made, local elections would be held and an amnesty offered to those who fought in the conflict.
'Reform under way'
Poroshenko said that reform was under way in Ukraine, adding: "We are cutting the budget, reducing bureaucracy, and applying decentralization."
“The anti-corruption bureau is at work.”
“We have strong European Union support and negotiation with the International Monetary Fund should be concluded on Jan. 29,” he added.
"All of this will mean vast changes to the Ukrainian economy. When we stop the war, we will have a new country," Poroshenko said.
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