Poroshenko warns war between Ukraine, Russia more likely now

KIEV, Ukraine, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has warned that open war with Russia is more likely now than it was a year ago, also accusing the Kremlin of not carrying out peace agreements.

Poroshenko told the Bild German newspaper that Russia has implemented "not one single point" of the Minsk Protocol reached in September 2014.

"Instead, we can see 8,000 Russian soldiers with Russian commanders in our country, new military sites directly along the border and constant military trainings," Poroshenko said. "Russia is investing a lot in these war preparations."

Poroshenko also said Russian President Vladimir Putin has started an information war against Germany, a fierce critic of Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's administration has grown suspicious that Russia is attempting to weaken her authority.

On the issue of Ukraine receiving weapons from Germany, the Ukrainian president said his country is "open to this possibility and we are advocating it" but added "the primary solution is a diplomatic one."

"This concerns the security situation in Europe," Poroshenko added. "We should all support each other more in order to be prepared for everything."