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Poroshenko offers unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine's south-east

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says the ceasefire will allow self-defense forces a chance to lay down arms

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko EPA/SERGEI CHIRIKOV

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko

© EPA/SERGEI CHIRIKOV

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KIEV, June 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine will cease fire unilaterally in the east of the country so that “illegal armed units will lay down arms” and “order will be established in the region” for this period of time, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told reporters on Wednesday.

“The peaceful plan begins with my order for a unilateral ceasefire. Immediately after this, we should gain support of a presidential peaceful plan from all participants in the events in Donbass (the main Ukrainian coalmining region). For a very brief period of time,” Poroshenko said.

“The time of ceasefire will be very short, and illegal armed units should lay down arms, and order should be established in the region for this period of time,” the president added.

He also noted the strength of the Ukrainian army had been undermined systematically for many years. “We faced the war with naked, barefoot and unarmed soldiers,” the president said, assuring military officials present at the meeting that Ukraine would win in this war. “We will win. We will win thanks to better organization, a profound strategic vision and what is mostly important - strong support from our people. Patriotism, consolidation and mobilization of Ukrainian society paved the way for Ukraine’s unconditional victory and for establishing peace in all Ukraine,” he added.

Poroshenko stated earlier that he hoped this week to stop hostilities in the east of the country and regain control over the Ukrainian-Russian border.

Ukraine in new type of war

Poroshenko noted that his country is in a state of what he described as a new type of war.

“Ukraine is in a state of war. This is a new type of war,” the president said, adding that both volunteers and mercenaries were taking part in it.

He declared a policy of comprehensive build-up of the national armed forces.

“The Ukrainian army will be number one priority for me, for the Ukrainian government, for the Ukrainian budget and for the population,” Poroshenko said at a graduation ceremony at Defense Ministry University.

According to the 2014 state budget and the law on partial mobilization, the Defense Ministry has been granted $1.7 billion, which constitutes 1.25% of Ukraine’s GDP.

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine Eastern Ukraine Pyotr Poroshenko

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