Trailing in polls, Ukraine’s Poroshenko Launches Bid for Second Term

By Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets

KIEV – Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko, facing significant challenges with declining popularity due to widespread corruption and deteriorating living standards, has announced his campaign for re-election. He has pledged to guide Ukraine closer to the West and pursue European Union membership.

Current polling indicates that Poroshenko is trailing behind his previous rival, opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, a seasoned former prime minister. Tymoshenko has promised to address corruption, increase wages, and reduce energy costs for households.

At 53, Poroshenko, a confectionery billionaire, assumed office during the transformative period of 2014, following a popular uprising that ousted pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovich. However, his tenure has been marred by difficulties. Following Yanukovich’s ouster, Russia annexed Crimea and has supported separatists in eastern Ukraine, resulting in a conflict that has claimed over 10,000 lives and remains unresolved despite a ceasefire agreement in 2015.

Ukrainians have expressed frustration over the ongoing lack of corruption enforcement, which has contributed to the decline in living conditions in one of Europe’s poorer nations. The average monthly wage has dropped to around $380, down from $450 when Poroshenko took office.

In his speech to supporters, Poroshenko emphasized a "deep responsibility" to the nation and the need to continue pushing for Western integration. He acknowledged past mistakes but positioned himself as the guardian against Russian influence and populism in Ukraine. His speech was accompanied by patriotic music and visuals of military personnel and international engagements.

"None of my actions contradicted the goal of fully breaking away from our colonial past and forming a civilizational alliance with Europe," Poroshenko stated, asserting that Ukraine must remain committed to this path.

Tymoshenko, known for her passionate rhetoric and previously imprisoned under Yanukovich, launched her campaign recently. Also in the running is Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a newcomer in politics who gained fame as a comedian.

Poroshenko is expected to portray himself as a more stable option compared to Tymoshenko, whose proposed increases in government spending might challenge Ukraine’s relationships with the International Monetary Fund and other financial backers that have provided substantial support to the economy.

Since the 2014 uprising, the initial hope for change has diminished, with a recent survey revealing that 70% of Ukrainians feel the country is on the wrong track. "There is fatigue from unfulfilled hopes," noted Iryna Bekeshkina from the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, one of the survey’s organizers.

Poroshenko aims for Ukraine to apply for EU membership by 2024; however, while Western nations continue to support Ukraine, its chances of joining the bloc in the near future appear uncertain.

Despite challenges, Poroshenko can point to some achievements during his presidency, including securing visa-free travel to the EU for Ukrainians and initiating the establishment of a national Orthodox church independent from Russian influence. Although he has not met his commitment to swiftly resolve the conflict in the east, he has managed to maintain a ceasefire that, while unstable, has endured with periodic clashes.

He successfully advocated for increased military support from the U.S., including defensive weapon supplies, and pushed for sustained sanctions against Russia from Western nations.

Nonetheless, corruption remains pervasive, with high-ranking officials facing few consequences for alleged malpractice, a trend that has resulted in attacks on anti-corruption advocates and stalled reforms.

As Poroshenko campaigns for re-election, he faces scrutiny following the release of the latest Corruption Perception Index from Transparency International, which, despite a slight improvement in Ukraine’s rank, still places it at 120th out of 180 countries.

"This result does not align with the aspirations for rapid European integration, reforms, and eliminating corruption in all aspects of life that our country claims to pursue," stated Andrii Borovyk, head of Transparency International Ukraine.