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Polish leaders in Kyiv call for EU candidate status for Ukraine, NATO peacekeeping mission

15.03.2022 23:55
The prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia held talks with Ukrainian leaders in Kyiv on Tuesday, in a show of support for the war-torn country amid Russian air strikes and shelling, news outlets reported.
A handout photo made available by the official Telegram channel of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi shows (L-R) Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and PiS party leader Jarosław Kaczyński during a meeting with the Ukrainian president and prime minister in Kyiv
A handout photo made available by the official Telegram channel of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi shows (L-R) Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and PiS party leader Jarosław Kaczyński during a meeting with the Ukrainian president and prime minister in KyivPAP/EPA

Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the Czech Republic’s Petr Fiala and Slovenia’s Janez Janša met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

Poland's conservative leader Jarosław Kaczyński, who is deputy prime minister in charge of security, also took part in the meeting. 

The Polish-Czech-Slovenian delegation came to Ukraine on behalf of the European Council, arriving by special train on Tuesday, officials told reporters.

‘We’ll never leave you alone’: Polish PM

After the talks with Ukraine’s leaders, Poland's Morawiecki said that the European Union should grant Ukraine candidate status as soon as possible.

“It must invite Ukraine to the bloc,” he added, as quoted by the PAP news agency.

The Polish prime minister also said that Ukraine must have defensive weaponry to respond to the Russian attack.

“You have to have all of this, and we’ll be trying to organise it from around the world,” he declared.

“We’ll never leave you alone,” Morawiecki pledged. “We won’t leave you, because we know that you’re fighting not just for your own homes, your own homeland, freedom and security, but for ours, too.”

'Need for peacekeeping mission' in Ukraine: Poland's Kaczyński

Meanwhile, Poland's Kaczyński said that “there is a need for a peacekeeping mission by NATO, maybe also by some wider international body” in Ukraine, "a mission that will be able to defend itself, and which will operate on Ukrainian territory; a mission that seeks peace, that provides humanitarian aid, and one that will be shielded by relevant forces, armed forces."

He called on the world to "back up its words of respect and solidarity” towards Ukraine with “deeds” and “courage, which unfortunately is often lacking.”

'Very strong, courageous, friendly step': Ukraine’s Zelensky

Ukraine’s Zelensky thanked the EU politicians for visiting his country amid the Russian invasion. 

He said: “These people, leaders of their wonderful, independent states, are not afraid. They are more concerned about our fate and are here to support us and it is a very strong, courageous, friendly step.”

Zelensky added: “I am convinced that with such friends, with such states, neighbours, partners we will indeed make it and we are going to win."

Tuesday was day 20 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, IAR, Reuters