Former Ukrainian PM says he will return to Kiev from Russia with a 'rescue plan'
The former Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mykola Azarov, who fled Ukraine after the Revolution in 2014, promised to return to the Ukrainian government and proposed to restore the previous composition of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. “I will return to Ukraine for sure. I’m in Moscow now, as the former Prime Minister of Ukraine, but I’m not a former Ukrainian politician,” he stated at a press conference in Moscow on the 25th of February, TASS reported.
Azarov also stated that he saw no reason to prosecute him in Ukraine. “I don’t have and haven’t had any assets. Tell me where are they… They have been freezing and continue to freeze the air,” Azarov said. The former Prime Minister stated that he isn’t in a hurry to go anywhere, but he has a plan on how to rescue Ukraine.
“We need to save Ukraine, the question is how. After the coup, all opposition forces were cleared. There are many people who left Ukraine or are in prison,” Azarov complained. According to him, the only legitimate authority in Ukraine is the Verkhovna Rada of the 7th convocation. “The powers of the Verkhovna Rada of the 7th convocation should be restored,” Azarov stated.
Ukraine has declared Azarov as wanted and the European Union and the US have added him to the sanctions list. However, the Court lifted the sanctions on Azarov on the 28th of January. The new convocation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was elected in October 2014 during elections which were recognized by the international community as democratic and transparent. Azarov has justified the occupation of Crimea by Russia.