Ukrainian President-Elect Poroshenko Says He Wants Direct U.S. Military Aid

Ukraine’s Poroshenko Says He Wants Direct U.S. Military Aid -- Jackson Diehl, Washington Post

Petro Poroshenko, the newly elected president of Ukraine, inherits a low-grade civil war against separatists backed by Russia, an economy rapidly descending into recession and a fragmented political system in which most power lies with a lame-duck, unrepresentative parliament. But as he sees it, he does have one thing going for him: For the moment, at least, a decisive majority of Ukrainians are behind him.

“This is the first presidential election when all the regions of Ukraine had the same winner,” he told me Monday night, in his first interview since winning a clear majority in a crowded first-round ballot. “You can consider it a referendum. Ninety-six percent of Ukrainians voted for the unity of the country. Eighty-five percent supported a candidate for European integration. So the president has a unique chance to unite the country and has a level of support which he never had before.”

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My Comment: I am not even going to comment on Ukrainian President-Elect Poroshenko wanting direct U.S. military aid .... that is a path that I know that the White House will avoid like the plague. But the part of Jackson Diehl's post that I found revealing (and amusing) was his quote from President-elect Poroshenko on what would happen if members of the Ukrainian parliament (the U.S. equivalent of their Congress) were to return to their constituencies ....

.... “This parliament is not representing anybody. If members of parliament appeared in their constituencies, 100 percent would be beaten. It’s a big part of our problem in the east. These are the most hated people.”

My prediction .... Ukrainian President-Elect Poroshenko is enjoying a great deal of support .... but if he will implement the programs and policies that he favors .... he to will be one of those "hated people"within a year.