Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed he met with Ukrainian businessman, ex-chief of the SBU Security Service Valeriy Khoroshkovsky to discuss a “very serious issue,” but no government post for him was discussed.
When speaking to journalists at a press event in Kyiv on Oct. 11, Zelensky said: “I did meet with Mr. Khoroshkovsky on Bankova (Street in the center of Kyiv where the building of the President’s Office is located). I don’t hide it. ”
The president also noted that according to his information, Khoroshkovsky would visit Ukraine over the past five years.
Answering a clarifying question about the subject of the meeting, Zelensky said: “There was one very serious question to ask him. And we discussed that very serious question with him.”
Moreover, he did not specify what exactly was discussed, noting only that no posts for Khoroshkovsky were discussed.
“There could be no post [for him],” Zelensky said.
The president also assured that Khoroshkovsky did not influence any member of the presidential team.
“No, he is not my adviser, he has no impact on my team. Over time, you will know what this meeting was about when we see the results of that meeting. The meeting was not about any posts, nor about any deal behind the scenes,” Zelensky added.
According to the data published on the website of PJSC Inter TV Channel, Khoroshkovsky is currently listed indirectly as a co-owner of the TV channel (45 percent) together with businessman Dmytro Firtash and MP from the Opposition Platform for Life Serhiy Liovochkin.
From November 2011 to September 3, 2012, Zelensky worked as general producer for the Inter TV channel.
