Ukraine’s former President Petro Poroshenko returned to Kyiv on Monday to stand trial for treason in his country, writes DW.

After flying out of Warsaw Chopin Airport in Poland, he had a brief standoff with border patrol officers but later left the airport. Ukrainian investigators said the border officers tried to serve a subpoena to the former president, but he refused to take the documents.

As the former leader emerged outside the airport, he was greeted by thousands of his supporters. Some of them were waving the Ukrainian flag, while other carried posters and banners that read: “We need democracy”, “Stop repressions” and “Hands off Poroshenko”.

“We are not here to protect Poroshenko, but to unite and protect Ukraine”, - he told the crowd. “Now I’m heading to the court where we’ll give them a fight”.

Poroshenko headed straight straight to court after arrival. There prosecutors requested the ex-president pay 1 billion hryvnia (USD 35 million) in bail and wear an electronic tracing bracelet.