Kolomoyskyi stands for restoration of ties with Russia: "Give it five, 10 years, and the blood will be forgotten"

Oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi advocates restoring ties with Russia "for the economic survival of Ukraine". He said this in an interview with the American The New York Times, - Novoye Vremia reports.

"They're stronger anyway. We have to improve our relations", - he said.

At the same time, Kolomoyskyi accused the USA that Washington forces the Ukrainians to fight, and that it simply uses Ukraine in the fight against Russia.

"People want peace, a good life, they don't want to be at war. And you, - America - are forcing us to be at war, and not even giving us the money for it. War against Russia - to the last Ukrainian", - the oligarch said.

He also added that rebuilding ties with Russia has become necessary for Ukraine's economic survival, and "the trauma of war will pass".

"Give it five, 10 years, and the blood will be forgotten", - Kolomoyskyi concluded.

Kolomoyskyi returned to Ukraine after the victory of Volodymyr Zelensky in the presidential election. After that, he repeatedly made lofty rhetoric about rapprochement with Russia and called the war in the Donbass a "civil conflict".

U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Ukraine, William Taylor stated that the oligarch's influence on the Ukrainian president is of particular concern. According to Taylor, he has repeatedly expressed his concern in conversations with Zelensky and his team.

Kolomoyskyi and Ukrainian President systematically deny the facts of influence.