Poroshenko says he bought Priamyi TV channel

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, a co-chairman of the parliamentary faction of the European Solidarity party, has said that he has become the owner of the Priamyi television channel.

He announced this live on the channel during the telethon "Seventh Anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity" on Thursday, February 18, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

According to Poroshenko, he received "18 messages" on February 17 that on February 19, at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, "sanctions will be imposed" against the channel's owner, Volodymyr Makeyenko, and that "the channel will be closed."

"Makeyenko called me this morning. He said that we need to make joint efforts to protect the channel. [...] Two hours ago we signed an agreement, and I paid money, a huge amount of money that could have been spent on charity. Two hours ago [a note was made] in the state register that the ultimate beneficial owner of the Priamyi channel is Prime Assets Capital, an entity that is 100 percent owned by Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko," the politician said.

It was reported on February 12 that President Volodymyr Zelensky had instructed Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov to begin preparations for an NSDC meeting to be held on February 19.

op