Poroshenko's press service officially confirms upcoming Poroshenko-Mattis meeting on August 24

11:48, 19.08.2017 1 min read

The Ukrainian presidential press service confirmed on Saturday that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is going to hold negotiations on August 24 with U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, who will pay a visit to Kyiv to attend celebratory events on the occasion of Ukraine's Independence Day.

"The first visit of the U.S. defense secretary to Ukraine in the past ten years will take place in accordance with preliminary arrangements with the U.S. side reached during the president's visit to the United States this June," it said.

The Pentagon's website said on August 18 that Mattis would visit Kyiv. "During these engagements, the secretary will reassure our Ukrainian partners that the U.S. remains firmly committed to the goal of restoring Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as strengthening the strategic defense partnership between our two countries," it said.

In addition, Mattis' upcoming meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak was announced.