We are capable of protecting ourselves. We need modern high-tech weapons. We must keep calm, stay cold-minded, strengthen our unity and international solidarity, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko noted at the beginning of the NSDC meeting.

According to him, "defense line is now in the Donbas, not in the West, for our Ukrainian army formed a solid defense wall".

The situation in the ATO area has changed radically, the Head of State noted. He informed that due to the given circumstances, he had cancelled his visit to Turkey where a range of important bilateral negotiations had been planned and decided to convene the NSDC meeting.

According to the President, the course of the ATO remained no doubt that it will soon be finished and the restored life of liberated cities, towns and villages gave hope that we will win the struggle not only in battles, but also for the sympathy of Donbas residents. Liberated territories began restoring life-supporting infrastructure, building schools, recovering production capacities.

"Columns of heavy artillery, huge loads of arms and regular Russian servicemen came to the territory of Ukraine from Russia through the uncontrolled border area to save the terrorist gang," the President said.

According to Petro Poroshenko, "amateurs-mercenaries jointly with regular servicemen are trying to organize a counter-attack on the positions of our Armed Forces".

"The situation is certainly extremely difficult and nobody is going to simplify it. Still, it is controlled enough for us to refrain from panic, keep a cold mind, a common sense and a hard math," the Head of State noted.

The President emphasized that "panic is the same weapon as tanks, APCs and AK rifles. It destabilizes the situation in the country without advancing inland".

The President informed on the meeting with participation of the state's government. "At the NSDC meeting, we will discuss a clear gradual plan of our actions for the nearest period of time," he said.

According to Petro Poroshenko, it is extremely important that the whole world is with Ukraine in such a difficult period. Today, extraordinary session of the OSCE is being convened. Extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council will be held under our initiative. Ukraine addressed the European partners with a request to hold extraordinary meeting of the Council of the European Union at the level of heads of state and government.

"A series of resolute actions in support of Ukraine from our key strategic partners in the world gives us some cautious grounds for stabilization of the situation," the Head of State noted.

Petro Poroshenko informs that the first consultations at the level of Chiefs of the General Staff of Ukraine and Russia have been held today. In the course of these consultations, the parties discussed the issue of control over the state border, prevention of the entry to the territory of Ukraine of the Russian armed units, the issue of liberating the Ukrainian servicemen and the future of Russian paratroopers who are in Ukraine now. "I am confident that joint and coordinated efforts of the entire world will lead to de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine," the President said.

On Saturday, consultations of the Border Services executives are to begin. The President instructed the executives of the Border Service to restore the activity of Ukrainian border guards on the checkpoints and reach an agreement on joint patrolling in order to prevent the entry of armed units and weapons from the neighboring country.

Commenting on the situation near Ilovaysk, the President noted that it was mainly the responsibility of chiefs of two units who left the defense line without permission and put their comrades in an extremely difficult situation. "I underline that the state will take resolute measures to prevent betrayal and desertion. We must honestly and openly talk about it," he said.