If we want to stop the aggressor we need the support of the UN peacekeeping mission - Poroshenko

President Petro Poroshenko has held a meeting with delegation of former heads of state – board members of Nizami Ganjavi International Center, informs UaPost.

The meeting was attended by President of Romania (1996-2000) Emil Constantinescu, President of Moldova (1997-2000) Petru Lucinschi, President of Latvia (2007-2011) Valdis Zatlers, President of Ukraine (1991-1994) Leonid Kravchuk, President of Ukraine (2005-2010) Viktor Yushchenko, Advisor to the UN for mediation in resolving conflicts Antje Herrberg and Executive Secretary of Nizami Ganjavi International Center Rovshan Muradov.

The Head of State has thanked the Presidents for their visit to Ukraine and emphasized the importance of solidarity and unity with Ukraine in its struggle against the aggressor.

The President has also noted that "Ukraine is doing everything possible to achieve peace and is fighting for freedom and democracy of the entire Europe taking the majority of the aggressor's hits ".

"If we want to stop the aggressor, we need the support of the UN peacekeeping mission," Petro Poroshenko said.

In the course of the meeting, the parties have shared their views on the ways to achieve peaceful settlement in Donbas with involvement of broad experience and capabilities of all international organizations and institutions.

"Nobody in Europe recognizes the annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Donbas is a war of Russia against Ukraine. I also think that the engagement of the international peacekeeping mission is the only option," former President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers noted. Speaking of sanctions against Russia, he emphasized: "On the eve of sanctions, our country was worried that they would affect our economy as well. But after the imposition of sanctions our people understood that we need peace in Europe. And sanctions are the price for this peace," he said.

The Presidents have noted that sanctions against the country-aggressor were the first true exam for devotion to the values of freedom and democracy. They have also agreed that given the absence of progress in de-escalation of the situation in Donbas and liberation of Crimea, sanctions must be extended and enhanced.

The meeting was also attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Valeriy Chaly, Commissioner of the President for the Peaceful Settlement of the Situation in Donetsk and Luhansk Regions, people's deputy of Ukraine Iryna Gerashchenko.