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In Kiev at the stadium “Olympic” held a pre-election debate of candidates in presidents of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Zelensky

Ze!President / YouTube

In Kiev at the stadium “Olympic” held a pre-election debate of candidates in presidents of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Zelensky

Ze!President / YouTube

Petro Poroshenko

Ze!President / YouTube

Vladimir Zelensky

Ze!President / YouTube

In Kiev at the stadium “Olympic” held a pre-election debate of candidates in presidents of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Zelensky, reports “Interfax”.

During the discussion Zelensky reproached his opponent that during your term could not solve the problems in the economy and to deal with the conflict in the East of the country, but “appropriated” his achievements such as, for example, a visa-free regime with Europe.

In turn Poroshenko called Zelensky “bright wrapper”, within which lurk the “fugitive oligarchs” and “fifth column” and said that his opponent won’t be able to resist Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin.

Most unexpected turn during the debate was the fact that Zelensky was on his knees in a sign of respect to the memory of Ukrainians who died in the war with the Russian Federation in the Donbass, when Poroshenko said that “not on his knees must crawl to Putin in order to protect the state”.

Zelensky explained that before the outbreak of hostilities, wrote a message, including to Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which he stated that he is ready to kneel just to the Russian President did not put on his knees in Ukraine.

“I want you to know that I was referring to – I think to any intelligent person it is clear – I’m ready to kneel in front of every mother who did not wait for his son from the front, I’m ready now kneel in front of each child who did not wait for his father, I am ready to kneel before each woman who did not wait for your husband and you are invited,” said Zelensky, referring to Poroshenko and passing from Russian into Ukrainian.

Then Zelensky knelt down in front of an audience, and Poroshenko turned to the state flag, which was holding his companions back and also knelt down.

Throughout the debates, remarks and speeches of the candidates was accompanied by the exclamation “shame” (“Shame!”) on the part of the opponents of each candidate.

The debate lasted an hour and ended with the singing of the national anthem of the country. According to the interior Ministry of Ukraine, in the arena of about 22 thousand people.

Later on Friday, Poroshenko arrived in the Studio of “Public television” on public debate that was to begin at the end of the debate on the Olympic stadium.

Vladimir Zelensky, as promised, the Studio has not arrived. Previously, he said that to participate in debate on television not intended. Moderator of public debate leading Miroslava master said that since one of the opponents did not appear, all the time allotted to the debate, 1 hour is given to the present candidate.

The event began with a message Miroslava young master about a possible terrorist attack. “We were told that in a hall there is a person who may commit a terrorist attack. You have the opportunity who’s afraid to leave the room,” said she, addressing the audience. At this time in the Studio, where there were several dozen people came Poroshenko, who declared that he, despite the threat of terrorist attack remains.

The questions that were asked Poroshenko journalists and experts focused on foreign policy, demography, and the legalization of weapons, economic problems, exchange of hostages, the investigation of the shootings on the Maidan.

It was the last speech of Poroshenko before the “day of silence”, which begins on Saturday.

The second round of presidential elections held on April 21.
In the first round, held on March 31, Zelensky scored more than 30%, and the current head of state – about 16% of the vote.