Responding to a question about the progress of Kyiv’s counteroffensive, ex-president Petro Poroshenko told Sky News that “this is not the case.” [ca la] Hollywood,” where you’re “left with popcorn” — and that it’s a “very complicated operation.”

Petro Poroshenko with Volodymyr ZelenskyiPhoto: Serhiy Supinsky / AFP / Profimedia Images

He said he attended the funerals of three of his closest friends this week alone.

The former president called on the West to “trust” Ukraine and confirmed that Ukrainian troops had broken through Russian front lines.

“Now the situation is a little more optimistic than before,” he added.

North Korean weapons will not change anything

The former Ukrainian president suggested that the supply of weapons by North Korea to Russia will not significantly change the course of the war.

Speaking on reports that Vladimir Putin could host Kim Jong-un in Russia to discuss potential arms deals this month, Petro Poroshenko told Sky News it highlighted Putin’s “complete isolation” during the conflict.

According to him, Moscow’s “friends” are North Korea, Syria and Iran, whom he called “international pariahs”.

“North Korean ammunition will definitely not help Russia even stop a counteroffensive operation [ucraineană]Poroshenko said.

At the same time, he noted that if North Korea supplies weapons, Kyiv will demand more weapons from its Western partners and the creation of tougher sanctions against countries that provide armed assistance to Russia.

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