President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko at a meeting in Kyiv thanked former French President Francois Hollande for his role in imposing sanctions against the Russian Federation. Hollande noted that the sanctions pressure on Russia should be preserved.

Poroshenko expressed gratitude for the fact that it was in Normandy that the Normandy format was initiated there, as well as for Hollande's decision to stop the business of delivering ships of the Mistral type to Russia in connection with illegal annexation of Crimea and aggression against Ukraine in the east of the country, the presidential press service of Ukrainian state said.

In his turn, the ex-president of France noted that since the beginning of the Normandy format, many meetings and telephone conversations took place. According to him, he supports all efforts and policies aimed at bringing and implementing the Minsk agreements.

"Firstly, the European Union should continue supporting Ukraine. Secondly, the pressure on Russia should be maintained, including the sanctions applied," the press service of the Ukrainian president quoted Hollande as saying.

He also noted that he was criticized in France for the decision on the Mistrals. "But it was a necessary signal that I had to send you to make Russia to be responsible for its deeds. We could not support the country at the time when it resorts to aggression," the former French president stressed.

As reported, on October 1, Poroshenko awarded Hollande with the Order of Liberty.