Petro Poroshenko appears at a rally in Uman, Ukraine on May 20, 2014, just days before winning the presidential election. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Petro Poroshenko has won this weekend’s presidential election in Ukraine. A business tycoon who previously served as economics and foreign minister, Poroshenko favors a trade deal with the European Union. Pundits view his ascent to the embattled country’s highest office as confirmation of the view that Ukraine wants to move towards the West. Nation contributor Stephen Cohen, appearing here on The John Batchelor Show, believes this is a problematic reading of the vote. “The election returns were primarily from Western Ukraine and Kiev. The East barely voted, so what we can say is Kiev and Western Ukraine elected a president.” —David Kortava
Stephen F. CohenStephen F. Cohen is a professor emeritus of Russian studies and politics at New York University and Princeton University. A Nation contributing editor, his most recent book, War With Russia? From Putin & Ukraine to Trump & Russiagate, is available in paperback and in an ebook edition. His weekly conversations with the host of The John Batchelor Show, now in their seventh year, are available at www.thenation.com.