Poroshenko already at odds with Moscow

France 24: 26 May 2014
Poroshenko already at odds with Moscow

Infographic shows how Russia and Ukraine implement Geneva agreement to stabilize Ukrainian crisis.

Poroshenko said Monday that he wanted to continue the military offensive in the separatist east but also to make it more "efficient".

"I support continuing the operation, but I demand that its format be changed," Poroshenko told reporters a day after winning Ukraine's presidential vote. "It must be shorter in terms of time-frames and more efficient."

At the same time, Lavrov was holding a press conference in Moscow at which he said Russia was willing to talk with Poroshenko but warned the Kiev authorities not to step up armed operations against separatists.

"We are ready for dialogue with Kiev's representatives, with Petro Poroshenko," Lavrov told a press conference, though he warned that Kiev pursuing its operations against eastern rebels would be a "colossal mistake".

Echoing remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past few days, Lavrov said genuine dialogue between Kiev and the east, where pro-Russian separatists have rebelled against the national leadership, was the key to resolving Ukraine's crisis.

With votes from 60 percent of precincts counted early Monday, Poroshenko was leading the Ukrainian elections with about 54 percent, meaning there would be no need for a second round in the elections. Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was running a distant second with 13 percent.

Poroshenko, a 48-year-old billionaire, has said he supports strong links with Europe but that he also wants to mend ties with Russia.

Speaking on Sunday after the polls closed, Poroshenko promised a dialogue with residents of eastern Ukraine and to guarantee their rights, including the right to speak Russian. He said he was ready to extend amnesty to those who had not taken up weapons and that meetings with Russia should be held as soon as possible.

"And I think that Russia is our neighbour. And without Russia it would be much less effective or almost impossible to speak about the security in the whole region or maybe about the global security,'' Poroshenko said.