KIEV
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has told NATO’s top European commander that Kiev wants more defense cooperation as the east of the country remains split between government forces and pro-Russia rebels.
Poroshenko met NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe Philip Breedlove during the U.S. Air Force general's visit to Kiev on Thursday.
During the meeting, Poroshenko said that Ukraine had stuck to the Minsk cease-fire agreement but that the rebels should also adhere to the deal.
The pair meet as a major international military drill continues at Ukraine’s Yavoriv training center near Lviv, western Ukraine.
'Saber Guardian/Rapid Trident 2015' is seeing almost 2,000 soldiers from 18 different countries – including the U.S. – taking part in maneuvers.
Poroshenko said that Ukraine sought the expansion of such joint military exercises.
Breedlove said that the exercise was important but added that Ukraine’s defense ministry should continue reforms.
"It is hard to implement reforms at war," said Breedlove, adding: "But we support you and will support in the future also."
Pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army have continued to clash in the eastern Donbas region despite a cease-fire agreement signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk in February.
More than 6,000 people have been killed in Donbas region since April 2014, according to the UN.
