Synchronization of Ukraine's sanctions against Russia with the United States and European countries is connected with the use of chemical weapons by Russia in the UK and with the holding of illegal presidential elections in the occupied Crimea, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

In a speech at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine broadcasted by Ukrainian television channels on Wednesday, the Ukrainian president stressed that such synchronization of sanctions is connected both with the use of chemical weapons in the UK by Russia and with the illegal presidential elections on the territory of the occupied Crimea.