Poroshenko

Petro Oleksiiovych Poroshenko (born 26 September 1965) is a Ukrainian businessman and politician who served as the fifth President of Ukraine from 2014 to 2019. He is the founder of Roshen, one of Ukraine's largest confectionery companies, and has held roles in finance, media, and manufacturing.

Born in Bolhrad, in the Ukrainian SSR, Poroshenko studied economics at Kyiv National Economic University, graduating in the late 1980s. He built Roshen in the 1990s after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and expanded into various business sectors, becoming one of Ukraine's wealthiest individuals.

Poroshenko was elected president in 2014 after the Maidan protests and the removal of Viktor Yanukovych. His presidency coincided with the conflict in eastern Ukraine and Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. He steered Ukraine toward closer ties with the European Union, signing the Association Agreement and pursuing visa-free travel, and he supported reform efforts including decentralization and anti-corruption measures. He also participated in negotiations that produced the Minsk II agreements in 2015.

In the 2019 election, Poroshenko was defeated by comedian Volodymyr Zelensky, finishing second in the first round and losing the runoff. He remained active in politics as head of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc and faced investigations related to corruption and defense procurement, which his supporters described as politically motivated.

Poroshenko is married to Maryna Poroshenko and has four children.