Kiev –
The Prime Ministers of Poland, Czech Republic and Slovenia met with the President Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev. It is the first visit by a foreign leader to the besieged Ukrainian capital since the Russian invasion.
Reported from AFPWednesday (16/3/2022), the prime minister, who arrived by train, sat around a table with Ukrainian PM Denis Shmyhal and the Ukrainian president detailing his situation to them.
“They are shooting everywhere. Not only Kiev but also the western region,” Zelensky told them in comments translated into English on a video posted on his Telegram account.
“We have to stop the tragedies that are happening in the East as quickly as possible,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in a post on Facebook announcing their arrival.
He also said Ukraine had “firm support” from the European Union.
“In critical times for the world, it is our job to be in a place where history is made,” Morawiecki said.
“Because it’s not about us, it’s about the future of our children who deserve to live in a world free from tyranny,” he said.
A government statement said the visit had been arranged “in agreement” with European Council chairman Charles Michel and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
“The purpose of the visit is to confirm the firm support of the entire European Union for Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence and to present a broad package of support for the Ukrainian state and people,” the statement said.
He said his arrival with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa was visiting as “representatives” of the European Union. The visit comes as Russia strikes targets across Ukraine including Kiev, which is on the verge of being besieged by Russian troops.
Their arrival also comes as Russia and Ukraine are set to resume talks to end the nearly three-week war. The trio were accompanied by the leader of Poland’s far-right Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
President Ukraine Zelensky also praised the arrival of the three PMs as extraordinary support. He says with such friends, Ukraine can win.
“The most important thing, is that we really trust these leaders. When we talk about security guarantees, about our future in the European Union, or when we talk about sanctions policies, we are 100 per cent sure that whatever we discuss, whatever it is. we talk about, this will achieve positive results for our country,” he said.
“With ‘friends like this’ Ukraine ‘can win’,” he continued.
Watch the video ‘Russia-Ukraine Hold Negotiations Again, Involve Israeli PM’:
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