Poroshenko to Russia: Pull back troops and crisis will end

KYIV, December 17 /Ukrinform/. The war in the east of Ukraine will end within three weeks after the withdrawal of Russian troops from Donbas. A way out of this situation is possible only on the basis of the Minsk agreements.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said this during his visit to Poland on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"If foreign troops are withdrawn from Ukrainian territory, the crisis in the east will be over in three weeks," Poroshenko said.

He said that the de-escalation of the conflict in Donbas was possible only on the basis of the Minsk agreements.

According to the president, the provisions of this document are very simple - the release of hostages, the withdrawal of foreign troops from Ukraine, the shutdown of the border, and the holding of local elections under Ukrainian law under the supervision of international observers and taking into account the special needs of its residents.

He noted that the West, and especially Poland, was showing solidarity with Ukraine in this issue.

According to Poroshenko, Ukraine expects the West to provide consultative, financial and economic support to the country to overcome the crisis in which it found itself through no fault of its own.

ap