Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has said that one of the main tasks of the government is to continue the steps towards ensuring the energy independence of the country.

"Providing the country with energy resources for winter is an important tactical task, which we are carrying out in the framework of the strategy on reducing dependence on Russia, and the progress is already visible," Poroshenko said during an extended meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers in Kyiv on Tuesday.

He said that last winter Ukraine proved that it could reduce its energy dependence on Russia.

"We proved this last winter, when they were trying to bring us to our knees, but instead they took a severe economic blow on the Russian gas monopoly," Poroshenko said.

Poroshenko expressed his confidence that the days when Russian blackmailed Ukraine and the rest of Europe with gas are over.