The Ukrainian president has labelled Russian calls against terrorism “really hard to believe” as he delivered a thinly-veiled attack against Vladimir Putin’s “double-tongued” statements to the UN.
Petro Poroshenko warned United Nations delegates on Wednesday they should not trust Russian promises of an anti-terrorism coalition as Mr Putin was better at inspiring terrorism than stopping it.
Mr Putin called for a “genuinely broad international coalition against terrorism” on Monday, claiming to be “guided by common values” and not “Russia’s ambitions.”
“Cool story,” Mr Poroshenko told delegates on Wednesday. “But really hard to believe.”
Despite not naming Mr Putin once throughout his speech, the Ukrainian leader’s speech was a blistering indictment on the perceived hypocrisy of the Russian leader.
“How can you urge an antiterrorist coalition if you inspire terrorism right in front of your door? How can you talk peace and legitimacy if your policy is war via puppet government?”
Mr Poroshenko’s remarks appear especially prescient given recent Russian military air strikes in northern Syria – performed with the express permission of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who has been waging war on his own people for more than four years.
Meanwhile, the president also renewed long-standing accusations of Russian involvement in arming, supplying and supporting Ukrainian rebels fighting the internationally recognised Kiev government.
Both the United States and Ukraine claim proof of regular Russian army forces within Ukraine, a charge that has been consistently denied by Mr Putin, who blames Ukraine’s descent into conflict on “outside” influences.
Additional reporting by Reuters
