US Defence Secretary James Mattis visits Ukraine

During the visit, Mattis is expected to attend a military parade in central Kiev and hold talks with President Petro Poroshenko and Ukrainian Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak.

In a statement released by the U.S Department of Defence, Mattis says he will commemorate Ukraine’s Independence Day and reassure the Ukrainian side that "we're aware of the values and what they're trying to put together coming out of the history they've had in the past."

“To mark the 26th anniversary of Independence of Ukraine, the Defence Ministers of our partner countries, including the U.S. Secretary of Defence, will arrive in Kyiv. James Mattis is a great friend of Ukraine and I am sure that these negotiations will be extremely important for strengthening the defence capability of our state,” Poroshenko said during a working visit to the Kirovohrad town in central Ukraine on August 21st.

Mattis becomes the first US Secretary of Defence to visit Ukraine in 10 years./.