Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has stressed that any elections called by the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) will be recognized neither by Ukraine, nor the rest of the world, and that he also expected the same reaction from Moscow.

"Any other elections called by self-proclaimed terrorist organizations and dates set not in compliance with Ukrainian laws, without observers, in breach of the voting rights of the Ukrainian citizens, will be recognized neither by Ukraine, nor the entire world. And I hope not by Russia either," he told a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.

Poroshenko expressed hope that certain parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions would hold early local elections on December 7 this year. "For us this can be a question not of how [the elections will be held] but when. I am very hopeful that the date – December 7 – will not be changed," the president said.

He stressed that the point of the local-administration law is precisely the question of holding local elections. "In a democracy, there is simply no way other than elections to find a compromise and launch a political dialogue," Poroshenko emphasized.

He added that Ukraine will manage to hold local elections: "This is both in the interests of Ukraine and in the interests of Donbas proper."