Polish President Duda in Kyiv to discuss more aid for Ukraine

By: 2 years ago

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Poland’s President Andrzej Duda attend a meeting after a parliament session, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 22, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

WARSAW — Polish President Andrzej Duda arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday to discuss further support for Ukraine, including military aid, his office said, as Russia’s invasion of the country approaches the six-month milestone.

Warsaw is one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters and nearly six million Ukrainian refugees have crossed the border into Poland since Russia invaded their country on Feb. 24. Poland, a Nato and European Union member, has often criticized some other EU nations for not doing more to help Ukraine.

“The visit will include a meeting with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky and talks on military support and defense of Ukraine in the economic, humanitarian and political sense,” Pawel Szrot told reporters.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Poland’s President Andrzej Duda pose for a picture before their meeting after a parliament session, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 22, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

“The presidents will discuss the political support Poland could offer to convince other countries to keep helping Ukraine,” Szrot said.

Duda has met Zelensky five times this year, including on three visits he has made to Ukraine since the start of the invasion, which Russia calls a “special military operation”.

The Polish leader will participate on this trip in a summit of the Crimea Platform, a forum that seeks to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity and an end to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.