The Ukrainian military stands ready to fulfill the Minsk Agreements and observe a ceasefire in Donbas but will respond appropriately in the event of a threat to the lives of the troops or takeover of territories, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said.

"We are ready to fulfill the agreements. However, if there is a threat to our positions or the lives of our troops, we will not keep silent but will take measures to prevent the takeover of our territories or the death of our troops," Poltorak said at a joint news briefing with Georgian Defense Minister Levan Izoria in Kyiv on Thursday.