Strana learned of discussions in Kyiv on sanctions against Poroshenko.

The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is discussing the possibility of imposing sanctions against former head of state (2015–2019), leader of the opposition party European Solidarity, Petro Poroshenko, reports the Ukrainian publication Strana.

However, according to the newspaper, not everyone in Zelenskyy's inner circle supports this idea. A source close to the president's office told Strana that this scenario would be a "politically good pass" for Poroshenko, as he would be able to claim political persecution. According to the source, this would draw attention in Europe, creating a "permanent point of tension" in the already difficult relations between Kyiv and Brussels.

"There's also the idea being discussed that if sanctions are imposed against Poroshenko, they'll also be imposed on someone various activists accuse of alleged 'pro-Russian' stances, to balance things out. But this idea is also widely criticized, as it would allow the government to pander to activists who are no less, and perhaps even greater, enemies to Zelenskyy than Poroshenko," says a source at Strana.

He added that since the former president "has long ago begun the process of distributing his main assets to offshore accounts and transferring them to other people," it is difficult to assess the impact of possible sanctions on Poroshenko from a practical standpoint.

"Many believe that developing specific criminal cases against Poroshenko is more promising. These cases have a strong evidence base and would be very damaging to his image," the source told the publication.

Poroshenko has repeatedly criticized the policies of the current Ukrainian authorities. In April 2024 , he announced his intention to run in the next presidential elections. They were scheduled for spring 2024, but were cancelled due to martial law imposed in the country.

Strana notes that the day before, Serhiy Leshchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian President's Office, stated, amid reports of impending sanctions against Poroshenko, that he "fully deserved" them and expressed hope that Zelenskyy "will go all the way." According to Leshchenko, the former Ukrainian president's concerns about sanctions are linked to the change of power in the United States . He claims that outgoing US President Joe Biden held back criminal investigations against Poroshenko, and that Donald Trump, who is returning to the White House, "couldn't care less."

That same day, Zelenskyy announced new sanctions for January 19. "There is a counteraction against traitors and various schemes that have weakened our state, our Ukrainian society. And anyone who takes a path against Ukraine, against the law in Ukraine, must remember that there will be a response," he wrote on Telegram.

In December 2021, a criminal case was opened against Poroshenko in Ukraine on suspicion of treason over coal supplies from Donbas to the rest of the country in 2014–2015. Viktor Medvedchuk, a former member of parliament from the liquidated Opposition Platform – For Life party, was implicated in the case.

At that time, Poroshenko's lawyer, Ilya Novikov (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia), suggested that the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) could impose sanctions against his client.

On January 6, 2022, the court seized the former president's assets. On January 17, he returned to Ukraine, a month after his departure. Two days later, the court ordered his release on personal recognizance—the lightest possible preventive measure, requiring him to appear in court upon request. In February 2024, the State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine completed its preliminary investigation.

Russia imposed sanctions against Poroshenko in September 2020.

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