Poroshenko looks forward to close cooperation with US, EU on peacekeeping mission and sanctions

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said this in an interview with the German magazine Focus, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"I look forward to close cooperation with the US and the EU in the deployment of the UN peacekeeping mission, as well as better coordination in the issue of sanctions. They are an important lever for making Russia sit down at the negotiating table and implement the Minsk agreements," the President said.

As Poroshenko noted, he intends to meet on May 10 with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who recently visited the United States. Ukraine lately received the Javelin missile systems from the United States. "We are talking about defensive weapons. We will definitely not attack Russia, but we will use every opportunity for our own defense," Poroshenko stressed.

According to him, a peacekeeping mission could become a much-needed breakthrough that would ensure security for holding free and fair elections in eastern Ukraine.

At the same time, Poroshenko expressed doubts that Russia could put forward new initiatives on Donbas conflict settlement after the re-election of Vladimir Putin. "If Putin constantly promises things that he does not fulfill, why should we wait for new proposals?" the President of Ukraine said.

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