Former president Poroshenko to return to Ukraine to face charges

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko (Piotr Molecki/AP)

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko says he is returning to Ukraine to fight treason charges even though he views them as politically motivated, because he believes that fighting them is part of his defence of national unity.

Mr Poroshenko spoke at a news conference in Warsaw on Sunday, hours before he was due to fly on Monday from the Polish capital to the Ukranian capital Kyiv where he is to face the allegations in court.