KROPYVNYTSKY. Aug 21 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he attaches special importance to United States Defense Secretary James Mattis's upcoming visit to Ukraine.
"Defense ministers from our partner countries, including the U.S. defense secretary, should symbolically visit us in Kyiv to jointly celebrate the 26th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. James Mattis is a great friend of Ukraine, and I am sure these negotiations will be of paramount significance for improving our state's defense capability," Poroshenko said during a working trip to the Kirovohradska region on Monday.
Poroshenko recalled that he had visited Washington in June 2017, where he had important negotiations with President Donald Trump and key U.S. officials.
Mattis is expected to visit Kyiv on August 23-24, where he will meet, in particular, with Poroshenko and Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak.