You're reading: Report claims Poroshenko wants to set up administrations in Donbas led by Akhmetov, Boiko

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has shown interest in the idea of creating administrations in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which would be led by people who would suit both Kyiv and Moscow, the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia. Ukraine (Mirror Weekly) newspaper wrote citing its sources.

“According to our information, Putin has confirmed his readiness to replace (current leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic Alexander) Zakharchenko and (leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic Igor) Plotnitsky by less disreputable persons. As far as we know, Poroshenko has expressed interest in ‘[leader of the Ukrainian Choice public movement, Ukraine’s special representative for humanitarian affairs in the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group Viktor) Medvedchuk’s plan’, which envisages the formation of administrations in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which would be headed by people who would suit both Kyiv and Moscow. Viktor Volodymyrovych (Medvedchuk) himself, apparently suggested as the candidates for this post [Ukrainian business tycoon) Rinat Akhmetov and (businessman and politician) Yuriy Boiko to Petro Oleksiyovych (Poroshenko). The president allegedly liked the said candidates,” the article says.

The source of the newspaper also said that Poroshenko held preliminary talks with both the candidates, and they both allegedly agreed.