Poroshenko: Real chance for Obama to mark his term with Donbas settlement

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says there is a real chance for U.S. President Barack Obama to mark his presidential term with helping Ukraine settle the Donbas conflict, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

"I believe that there is a real chance for President Obama to mark his presidential term with the settlement of the conflict in Donbas," he said at the forum titled "Ukraine's Battle for Freedom Continues" in Washington on Thursday.

Poroshenko also called on the signatories to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances to restore international justice.

"We, Ukrainians, are entitled to call upon the Western guarantors under the Memorandum to take all possible efforts to restore international justice and order, to help us in our battle for survival and for an independent, democratic, European future," he said.

"I have an honor to be President of the state which made a unique contribution to the nuclear security in the world. In 1994, Ukraine abandoned the world's third largest nuclear weapons arsenal. At the first Nuclear Security Summit in 2010 under the leadership of President Obama, we decided to remove a stockpile of highly enriched uranium and have implemented our pledge so far," he said.

In his words, Ukraine remains among the key contributors to success of the Obama Nuclear Security initiative.

"And I'm so proud of that. What did we get in response?" Poroshenko wondered.

"We got security assurances under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum about the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence of my country. We gave up weapons ‒ we received security guarantees. Sounds good. But what has it turned to be in reality?" he continued.

According to him, Russia, one of the signatories to the Memorandum, simply defied its assurances to Ukraine and committed direct armed aggression against it.

"The Ukrainian patriots are losing their lives, defending the same values that are dear to America and Europe. We are of one blood, we are of one mind, and we are of one values ‒ democratic values," the Ukrainian president stressed.

"I'm absolutely sure it's time to face this reality and find proper responses to this situation," he added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Poroshenko is on a working visit to the United States March 30 through April 2. He is scheduled to meet with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President of Poland Andrzej Duda, and President of Argentina Mauricio Macri.

On April 1, the Ukrainian president is to deliver a speech at the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit.

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