The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that it was the high time to launch an international mechanism for de-occupation and demilitarization toof Crimea, as well as to prevent the transformation of the peninsula in the Russian military base. He said this at the joint briefing with the President of Poland Andrzej Duda - reports Ukrainska Pravdanewspaper.
Poroshenko thanked Duda for "firm position that Poland takes in support of Ukrainian sovereignty, Ukrainian independence and territorial integrity".
According to him, the presidents discussed in detail the situation in the east of Ukraine and coordination of steps on the issue of non-recognition of the annexation, "the illegal occupation of Crimea".
"And I hope very much that the decision will be made this week during a meeting of the Council of the European Union. And I was pleased to hear the strong position of the leader of the Polish state regarding this issue", - said Poroshenko.
"We need to stop the infamous repressive policy of the Russian Federation of persecution on political and ideological grounds of both the representatives of the Crimean Tatar people in Crimea and representatives of the Ukrainian community, who are under pressure and persecution only because they are Ukrainians", - said the President of Ukraine.
"It's high time to launch an international mechanism for de-occupation and demilitarization of the Crimea, to prevent the transformation of the Ukrainian peninsula into the Russian military base", – added he. Poroshenko also thanked Poland for humanitarian aid and rehabilitation of wounded Ukrainian soldiers.
"We need to understand clearly that Ukrainian soldiers in eastern Ukraine today do not only protect our sovereignty and our independence. They protect freedom, democracy, and not for the first time in our common history we continue to fight for our and your freedom", - stressed Poroshenko.
He noted that at the meeting "Warsaw reaffirmed its consistent position on supporting the continuation of sanctions for illegal occupation of Crimea and implementation of the Minsk agreements".