AKIPRESS.COM - 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, reports Itar-Tass.

“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.