President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has congratulated Frank-Walter Steinmeier with a confident victory in the presidential elections, which ended on February 12, 2017, the official website of the Ukrainian president says.

"During your stay in the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, you have become a true friend of Ukraine. It is a reliable basis for the further development of friendship between our peoples in your new, presidential capacity," Poroshenko said during a telephone conversation with Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The interlocutors discussed the escalation of Russia's aggression in Donbas and paid special attention to the worsening of humanitarian situation in Avdiyivka area, where the militants continue bombarding civilian targets and blocking access to the Donetsk filtration plant that threatens the water supply of the whole region.

Poroshenko also expressed his expectation that the so-called Crimean package of sanctions will be extended in March of this year.

The sides noted the progress made between the EU Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament on a visa-free regime for Ukrainians and expressed hope that this issue will be formalized in the near future.

Poroshenko invited Steinmeier to visit Ukraine.