Ukraine’s President Strikes Martial Tone by Natalia Zinets

Ukraine put on a show of military strength on independence day on Wednesday amid fresh tension with Russia over Crimea and President Petro Poroshenko said the country had to rely on its own might rather than international guarantees.

“Every country is sometimes more preoccupied with its own problems … International pressure on Russia must remain until Russia implements the Minsk (ceasefire) agreements,” he later told diplomats.

Poroshenko said it would take more time and money for Ukraine to fully protect itself from what he described as Russia’s “imperial ambitions”.