KIEV, Ukraine

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called Ukraine a "strategic ally" on Monday during his visit in the Eastern European country

The Turkish prime minister met Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Kiev.

"Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has highlighted the strategic character of partnership between our two states, called Ukraine a 'strategic ally'," according to a statement issued by the Media Office of Ukrainian presidency.

The Ukrainian president expressed gratitude for the decision to allocate a $50 million loan to finance the fund of Ukraine's state budget and provide an equipped modular field hospital tent to the armed forces of Ukraine.

Earlier, Davutoglu met with his Ukrainian counterpart Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vladimir Groysman, the Ukrainian parliament speaker.

Groysman condemned Moscow's provocations in the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed to Russia in 2014 by referendum, and said residents were being exposed to aggression by Russian forces.

"We are always expecting Turkey's continued support. What is important is that this support be both political and legal," said the parliament speaker.