President Petro Poroshenko held a phone conversation with President of the European Council Donald Tusk to congratulate him on the 59^th birthday and express gratitude for a consistent and decisive support for Ukraine.

Petro Poroshenko noted that the new pro-European coalition and the appointment of the professional Government of reformers had provided a new dynamics to the implementation of reforms in Ukraine.

The Head of State informed on the establishment of the Group of Strategic Advisors on the Support for Reforms in Ukraine chaired by Leszek Balcerowicz and Ivan Mikloš. The President of the European Council praised the decision and called it a good choice. He also noted the importance of continuation of reforms in Ukraine.

The President noted a positive dynamics of relations between Ukraine and the EU. An evidence of that is the decision of the European Commission to propose the introduction of the visa-free regime for Ukrainians.

Donald Tusk emphasized that the proposal of the European Commission was the recognition of internal transformations in Ukraine and an important step of the EU towards European aspirations of Ukrainians.

He also praised the formation of the new Government headed by Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman.

The parties discussed the release of Nadiya Savchenko. Donald Tusk reaffirmed the EU’s position on the necessity of her immediate liberation.

The Head of State informed on lasting deterioration of the security situation in Donbas caused by provocations of pro-Russian militants, as well as increasing infringement of human rights in the occupied Crimea. The President underlined the necessity of preserving sanctions against Russia until full implementation of the Minsk agreements by Moscow.