Mr. Poroshenko said, "The price we have paid is striking. Almost 10,000 people have died. Over 2,700 of them are Ukrainian servicemen killed by fire of combined Russian-militant forces. This number exceeds the US military losses in Afghanistan for the last 15 years.

1.75 million IDPs lost their homes in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and moved to other regions of Ukraine.

And I, as President, the Ukrainian Government, Ukrainian local authorities should find out shelter, houses, jobs, education for them and their children. Organize everything.

But we are having very strong expectations and hopes that in the very near future 1.75 million Ukrainians will have an opportunity to come back to their native land in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. 7% of Ukrainian territory is under occupation. 20% of Ukrainian economy and industrial output is seized or destroyed. 19 months after we initiated the Minsk process, I still receive reports about losses and shelling of our positions in the frontline every single day.

Russia continues sending troops, heavy weapons and ammunition into Ukraine a few times a week. Only since January 1, 2016, Russian trains and trucks full of supplies have illegally crossed the uncontrolled part of the Ukrainian-Russian border over 80 times.

Russia’s proxies in Donbas still heavily impede the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to access all areas under their control and verify the ceasefire and withdrawal of weapons.

They do not allow them to access the uncontrolled part of the Ukrainian-Russian border just to check and inform independently the whole world about what is going on in the occupied territory. This situation is not conducive to holding local elections in militant-controlled areas of Donbas which are of key importance for further progress in the settlement.

Russia keeps using an escalation card whenever it wants to push for a preferred scenario. It keeps supporting militants in Donbas as it wants to have a permanent leverage on Ukraine.

Russia also uses human lives as a trading chip.

After months of negotiations, we still cannot get over 120 Ukrainians from captivity in Donbas. ICRC is banned to visit them as well as to search about 800 missing persons."

According to the Head o State, in the times of global weakness, there is a thing that counts more than anything else – leadership. It is a privilege and a heavy burden. "There are so many reasons not to carry it: indifference, fatigue, self-doubt… And there is only one reason to carry it: you have it in your blood. In these times of doubt, I urge America to be strong and believe in itself – just like people of goodwill worldwide keep believing in America. Don’t let pragmatism make you forget about values, with freedom being at the top of them. Don’t let America become small-minded," Petro Poroshenko said in the U.S. Congress.

Ukraine highly appreciates cooperation with USA, as stated by the President. "The American leadership has been very important for progressive reforms in Ukraine. The US support has been critical for successful resistance to the Russian aggression," the Head of State noted.

The President believes it is high time to boost Ukraine-USA bilateral dialogue, upgrade our strategic alliance and channel our intense cooperation in defense and security into a comprehensive bilateral security agreement.

"Ukraine’s fight is a fight for freedom.  And this fight continues," Petro Poroshenko emphasized urging to provide support for Ukraine.