Poroshenko sworn in as President of UkraineJune 7, 2014 - 13:14 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Petro Poroshenko has been sworn in as president of Ukraine, setting out a plan to bring peace to the conflict-torn east of the country. The 48-year-old tycoon, who won the May 25 election, offered political concessions to people in the east and said he did not want war or revenge. Kiev accuses Moscow of backing armed militants in the eastern Donbass area. Russia denies the allegations. Poroshenko was inaugurated in the presence of dozens of foreign dignitaries - including U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden - in parliament in the capital Kiev. Poroshenko, the owner of the Roshen chocolates group, took the oath of office and laid out a program for ending the crisis that included an offer of early regional elections in the east and a decentralization of power to the regional administrations. He said: "I don't want war. I don't want revenge, despite the huge sacrifice of the Ukrainian people." But he added: "Talking to gangsters and killers is not our path." Referring to a brief meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in France on Friday, he said: "I put that clearly to the Russian leader in Normandy." Poroshenko also said there would be no discussion concerning the territorial integrity of Ukraine. "I will make unity happen," he said. Poroshenko condemned the rule of former President Viktor Yanukovych, seen by many as pro-Russian, who fled in February after a popular uprising in Kiev. He accused Yanukovych of financing terrorism in the east, saying he was "fully responsible for the situation there today". After their meeting on Friday, Putin said he liked Poroshenko's approach but would wait to see what he could deliver. "I can only welcome Poroshenko's position that the bloodshed in eastern Ukraine must be stopped immediately," he said, adding that this had to mean an end to the Ukrainian government's "punitive operation". Photo: Kyiv Post Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |