"The glorious victory of the Ukrainian team at the very symbolic European Games in Azerbaijan is a great form of support for the Ukrainian people, the people of a country in war. We need victories and I wish we had them only in sports. We need peace and you've made invaluable contribution to these victories," Poroshenko's press service quoted him as saying.

Addressing the athletes, the president said they had demonstrated the "true Ukrainian sporting spirit" in Baku by winning 46 medals, eight of them gold and 14 silver.

Poroshenko stressed the importance of creating modern sports infrastructure in Ukraine and expressed the hope that the government will be able to ensure the full functioning of centers for Olympic and non-Olympic training of athletes.