Ukraine in Arabic | Petro Poroshenko : Ukraine does not recognize Donetskiy referendum
Kiev/ Ukraine in Arabic/ No referendum on severing the Donbas from the rest of Ukraine is possible, but there is a possibility of holding a referendum on the regime of local government, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Friday at a press conference on the occasion of his annual address to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
"The issue of separating off the Donbas is a provocation. As the president and the Supreme Commander, as the guarantor of the Constitution, I’m a guarantor of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. I will never allow the holding of a referendum on the separation of the Donbas [from Ukraine]," Poroshenko said.
"As for the regime of local government - if it requires constitutional changes, there is a corresponding constitutional procedure, including a referendum. And as the guarantor of the Constitution, I will ensure the free will of citizens so that all Ukrainians will have an opportunity to express how they see the future of the Donbas - but only as a part of Ukraine," Poroshenko said.