In the interview with Ukrainian TV channels, the President underlined the inadmissibility of fake elections planned by militants in the occupied territories of Donbas and their threat to the peace process. He emphasized that the international community has enough leverages to force Russia to sit down at the negotiating table and fulfill the commitments undertaken in Minsk.

Petro Poroshenko reminded that the Russian President had also signed the Minsk agreements. Thus, Russia has undertaken commitments on the withdrawal of foreign troops from the territory of Ukraine, border closure, restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty over the occupied territories and provision of efficient political process in the form of free expression of will at the elections that meet the OSCE/ODIHR standards and are recognized by the international observers.

"Holding of fake elections pose a great threat. Unfortunately, we have a very sad past, when "elections" of November 2, 2014 virtually obstructed the Minsk process last year. We will do everything to prevent the repeat of this situation," the Head of State assured.

The President noted that a lot of countries of the world had already stated that those fake elections wouldn't meet the Ukrainian legislation and free expression of will. Particularly, in the course of the visit to Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized that NATO countries wouldn't recognize those elections.

"If Russia approves them, it is a brutal violation of the Minsk agreements and must be adequately responded," the Head of State emphasized. Particularly, in the form of expansion of sanctions in order to force Russia get back to negotiations. "I am sure that the international community has enough leverages to return Russia to the negotiating table and ensure the fulfillment of its obligations," the President said.