President's envoy in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Artur Gerasimov has said President Petro Poroshenko is waiting for presidential candidate Voloymyr Zelensky to debate on April 14 and 19.
Speaking during the Conciliation Board of chairmen of factions and members of the groups, Gerasimov said Poroshenko had also called on Zelensky to undergo a drug test at the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), Espreso TV reported.
"Imagine that an order to launch missiles will be given by a person under the influence of drugs. And how he will be treated at international negotiations, knowing that their counterpart is under the influence of drugs," Gerasimov said.
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As UNIAN reported earlier, on April 3, Zelensky declared his readiness to come to the debate with Poroshenko ahead of the runoff, however, he voiced a number of conditions. In particular, he said, the debates should be held at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, "before the people of Ukraine", and with all TV channels being able to air the event live, while both candidates must undergo a medical exam and prove to the people that there are "no alcoholics or drug addicts" among them.
Poroshenko agreed to hold the debate with Zelensky at the stadium.
On April 4, speaker of the election headquarters of incumbent Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Oleh Medvedev, said that Poroshenko had invited Zelensky at the Olimpiyskiy health center to pass the relevant tests.
In turn, Zelensky's headquarters rejected a proposal to take a blood test at the health center and announced he would come to a private lab.
On Friday morning, April 5, Zelensky passed blood tests at a private clinic Eurolab.
Presidential candidate Petro Poroshenko passed the relevant tests at the Olimpiyskiy health center.
On April 7, Poroshenko said he would wait for presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky to debate at Kyiv's Olimpiyskiy Stadium on April 14.
Today, April 8, Zelensky said he plans to hold a debate with incumbent President Petro Poroshenko on April 19.
