Poroshenko: I won't negotiate with terrorists in eastern Ukraine

"From the very start, an absolutely unique format was formed. After all, what they tried to impose on us? Sit down with Zakharchenko and Plotnytsky (leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk (DPR) and Luhansk (LPR) People's Republics, Oleksandr Zakharchenko and Ihor Plotnytsky), talk to them, and we will observe from the sidelines, occasionally we will make some advise... I will not negotiate with the militant leaders and terrorists just because I am advised to do so by some homebrew politicians," the president said on the "Prime Time with Myroslava Gongadze" program, which was aired on the First National Channel on Thursday. He added that the negotiations with militants is what Russia wants in order to show that there is a civil war in Ukraine, and Russia is not to be blamed. "No, this is Russian aggression against free and independent state of Ukraine. Therefore, from the very beginning the format: Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE as a mediator - was formed. This format is called the Tripartite Contact Group," he stressed.