Excerpts.
The WSJ reports, "Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko reached out to residents of Ukraine's restive east on Saturday, promising to end a separatist rebellion in their region that has left hundreds dead and pushed the former Soviet republic to the edge of civil war.
Mr. Poroshenko's ability to carry through with his promise of peace, to salvage Ukraine's economy and push the country toward Europe will determine the success of his presidency for the broad mass of pro-Europe demonstrators who rallied on Kiev's main square to topple Kremlin-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych in late February.
"I don't want war. I don't want revenge. I want peace," Mr. Poroshenko said at Ukraine's parliament, after being sworn in as the country's fifth president. The 48-year-old billionaire, who supported the anti-Yanukovych protests since their start late last year, said he was entering the presidency "to preserve and strengthen the unity of the nation."
The challenge facing Mr. Poroshenko comes amid the worst crisis in Ukraine's independent history, which has pitted the U.S. and Europe against Russia and driven the widest chasm between Washington and Moscow since the Cold War.
It isn't immediately clear how Mr. Poroshenko can stem the violence, however, seeing as he has ruled out talks with separatist officials and has said there aren't competent regional leaders with whom Kiev can negotiate.
Kiev and its Western allies have accused Moscow of fomenting the unrest, a charge the Kremlin has denied. Mr. Poroshenko, whose confectionary firm Roshen saw its candies banned in Russia last year, hinted at the accusation of Russian involvement in his speech.
"On the path to the colossal possibilities that have opened up for the European modernization of Ukraine with the fall of tyranny, has arisen a real war, instigated and carried out on Ukrainian territory," he said. Ukrainians won't be made "slaves of criminality and bureaucracy, the servants of colonial authorities," the new president said. He wore a tie the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Switching into Russian during his speech, Mr. Poroshenko made a direct plea to residents of the rebel-held areas, calling on all who had taken up weapons to lay down their arms and presenting what he called a plan for peace.
Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in March in response to the toppling of Mr. Yanukovych, provoking sanctions against Russian officials by the U.S. and the EU. Russian President Vladimir Putin met Mr. Poroshenko briefly Friday at a D-Day remembrance ceremony in Normandy, France. The new Ukrainian president said he told Mr. Putin that Crimea is Ukrainian but said he wanted to cooperate with Russia.
"There can be no compromises on questions of Crimea, our European choice and our structure of government," Mr. Poroshenko said, regarding Russia. "But all other things we should discuss and decide at the negotiating table."
Mr. Poroshenko spent part of his speech going after his predecessor, Mr. Yanukovych, saying the Donetsk native had betrayed his own people, robbed the region of its wealth and had turned to financing separatists from exile in Russia.
"It's precisely him who carries full responsibility for the political and socio-economic situation in the region," Mr. Poroshenko said. "And for the joblessness, for the poverty, for the refugees. And for the killed citizens and the mothers' tears.
During his speech, Mr. Poroshenko pledged to return Ukraine to its natural place in Europe, saying he would sign the economic portion of an integration pact with theEuropean Union as soon as possible.
"The pen is in my hand," he said. He also vowed to fulfill all necessary requirements so Ukrainians can travel to Europe without visas starting in January 2015 and one day become citizens of the EU. To do that, he promised to snuff out corruption.
"We are a people who were separated from our great homeland of Europe," he said. "We are returning. Finally and irrevocably.""
