Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has welcomed the Canadian government's decision to send Canadian instructors to Ukraine to train Ukrainian servicemen.

"Up to 200 members of the Canadian armed forces together with military servicemen of other of our international partners will help strengthen the Ukrainian armed forces and the National Guard," the presidential website reported on Tuesday evening.

Poroshenko described the decision as "another important step by Canada, aimed at providing efficient support to our state's independence and territorial integrity."

The president thanked "the friendly Canadian nation for solidarity with the Ukrainian nation in its struggle for a free and democratic state."

"I am convinced that the strengthening of Ukraine's defense capability would promote not only peace in our country but also global security in the Euro-Atlantic area," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and National Defense Minister Jason Kenney had announced their decision to send a group of 200 military instructors to Ukraine. The Canadian servicemen are expected to join U.S. and British military instructors in western Ukraine in early summer 2015 to work there until March 31, 2017.

Most of the Canadian instructors would stay in the town of Yavoriv, Lviv region.