Ukraine's Potential New President Marked

All the men of Poroshenko live in fear as their king clearly sits on a tottering throne. More so as now, at last, there is a real contender for the seat of said king. At least, this is how it seems to the Ukrainian president and his entourage: Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Pinchuk, a figure marked for the future leadership role in every aspect.

Pinchuk is married to the daughter of ex-president Leonid Kuchma and has a financial capacity a third in size over other Ukrainian businessmen. More importantly, however, he has never been tainted in any political scandal. He even managed to take part in financing the presidential election campaign of Hillary Clinton without amassing problems with Donald Trump: Hillary was financed, but Trump was not mocked by him, at least in the public space. Unlike Poroshenko.

Pinchuk’s article, published in The Wall Street Journal, outlined his position with regard the Ukrainian problems. His plan is simple: to improve relations with Russia and to rebuild the economy of Ukraine. The issue of territorial ownership of Crimea is to be observed with closed eyes and a pretense of non-existence. In Donbass, the presidential election needs to be held immediately- and let them sort out their problems themselves. Kiev’s attention should be focused on helping those who have been forced to flee their homes. Simply put, they need to make arrangements to integrate refugees from Donbass. European integration has to be forgotten - at least temporarily – as Ukraine has no time for it, while accession to NATO, a pipe dream that will certainly never be realized, must be recognized as such. The expected result? Fewer problems for Ukraine.

Following such a seditious article, how would Victor Pinchuk be perceived in the current Ukrainian establishment? Had he done such on TV, he would have been accused of being mentally ill and forthwith forgotten. But his words were published in a reputable American newspaper. What if the White House read the article (which it surely did), and decided that Victor Pinchuk, a reasonable man willing to make necessary agreements, was therefore a very suitable candidate for the post of President of Ukraine?

Needless to say, in Kiev the creative author was not appreciated. Petro Poroshenko and his orderlies even boycotted the traditional breakfast organized by Pinchuk in Davos. Shame... as there sat David Cameron and Henry Kissinger, who found it quite worthy an event and did not even think to refuse the invitation.

Dimitri Dolaberidze