March 16, 2022

The Prime Ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic reaffirmed their support for Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion during a meeting Tuesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in the capital, Kyiv.

Following the meeting, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called for the European Union to “very quickly” grant Ukraine candidate status.

“We are here to admire your fight against such a cruel aggressor. This invasion has to stop,” Morawiecki said. “Those who are killed by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, they can never be forgotten. They are not forgotten.”

He also emphasized Poland, which shares a 310-mile (500-kilometer) border with Ukraine, would try to help Ukraine organize its defenses.

“We will never leave you alone. We will be with you. Because we know you are fighting not only for your homes, for your freedom, for your security, but also for ours,” he said.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said having an in-person discussion with Zelensky was “something really special.”

“The main goal of our visit and the main message of our mission is to say to our Ukrainian friends that they are not alone, that Europe stands with you,” Fiala said.

Fiala said he wanted to assure Ukrainians we are “hosting your wives and children” and providing them with “refuge” in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic has now taken in 250,000 refugees, according to the prime minister, who said they will “continue to provide more aid and support.”

Zelensky thanked the EU leaders for their “wonderful support” when “so many other ambassadors have left Ukraine because of the full-scale Russian invasion.”

“Most important, is that we truly trust these leaders,” Zelensky said. “When we are talking about the security guarantees, about our future in the European Union, or when we talk about the sanctions policy, we are 100% assured that whatever we are discussing, whatever we talk about, this will reach a positive outcome for our country.”
He continued that with “friends like this,” Ukraine “can win.”

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