The Group of Friends of Ukraine in the European Parliament expressed grave concern over the Prosecutor General's decision to charge former President Petro Poroshenko with high treason and financing terrorism. They strongly warned Ukrainian authorities against politically motivated prosecutions and urged independence and impartiality in judicial proceedings. The group called on Ukraine to fulfill its European choice through continued judicial reform and to stand united facing military threats from Russia.

1. To: Iryna Venediktova, Prosecutor General of Ukraine
Denys Malyuska, Minister of Justice of Ukraine
Andriy Borisovich Yermak, Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine
Cc: Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chair of the Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the EU
Vadym Halaychuk, Co-chair of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee
Brussels, 23 December 2021
ADDRESS ON UKRAINE AUTHORITIES DECISION TO INVESTIGATE FORMER PRESIDENT OF
UKRAINE
- We the Group of Friends of Ukraine in the European Parliament note with grave concern the recent
decision of the Prosecutor General‘s Office to issue a suspicion to the former President of Ukraine Petro
Poroshenko on charges of high treason and financing terrorism.
- We strongly warn the competent authorities of Ukraine to refrain from possible politically motivated
prosecution and to avoid even the impression of a return to previously known selective justice practices or
politically motivated persecutions in a country that strives for European integration and is particularly
engaged in a comprehensive reform of the judicial system that will lead to an uncontested application of
the rule of law beyond any doubts of political influencing or instrumentalisation.
- We expect therefore the law-enforcement agencies particularly the State Bureau of Investigations and the
Prosecutor General’s Office not be instrumentalised in a fight against political opponents of the current
administration alleging “high treason” and “financing terrorism”.
- We expect a due process and independence, impartiality of the judiciary, fairness and transparency of
judicial proceedings.
- Any political divergences shall be settled via open political debates and elections as a democratic tool, not
by means of selective justice.
- We call on the Ukrainian authorities to fulfil Ukraine‘s European choice and stay relentlessly on an
uncompromised judicial reform track.
- In times of high and existential threats we call on all Ukrainians to stand together facing the military
buildup of Russian Armed Forces at the Ukrainian state borders and the aggressive statements of the
Russian leadership against Ukraine.
- We continue to stand strongly behind Ukraine and its people with solidarity, firm support, dedication and
friendly advice.
Sincerely,
Petras Auštrevičius, Renew Europe, Lithuania
Radosław Sikorski, EPP, Poland
Rasa Juknevičienė, EPP, Lithuania
Michael Gahler, EPP, Germany
Viola von Cramon, Greens/EFA, Germany
Andrius Kubilius, EPP, Lithuania