Baltic States and Poland will continue actively supporting Ukraine, which has suffered from Russian aggression, with both military and humanitarian aid, as affirmed by presidents of Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania during their meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Wednesday, 13 April.
As reported by Latvian State President’s Chancellery, Zelenskyy highly valued the visit, stressing that the visiting presidents showed great support and friendship to Ukraine. Together they visited the ruined cities and villages, becoming witnesses to the horrible results of the Russian aggression.
Polish and Baltic presidents affirmed in a shared conversation they will continue actively providing Ukraine with military and humanitarian aid.
Latvia’s President Egils Levits especially stressed that Latvia will support Ukraine’s candidacy for joining the European Union. Levits stressed Latvia will encourage the European Union to review Ukraine’s candidacy as quickly as possible, so that Ukrainian people see that their efforts defending European values were not for nothing.
Here are photos provided by Latvian State President’s Chancellery from the visit to Kyiv:
Latvia’s President also said the tragic consequences of war that he saw there only further prove that Russia and all those responsible for war crimes – from command staff to troops on the ground – must answer for their crimes.
During the meeting Ukraine’s president said he hopes Baltic States and Poland and their sea ports will help Ukraine export its grain. Egils Levits affirmed Latvia is prepared to assist with this goal.
Polish and Baltic States presidents stressed they will continue supporting sanctions against Russia from EU’s side.
In the conversation about the destruction caused by Russia in Ukraine, Zelenskyy invited the international community to understand that Ukraine will require financial and economic support not only after the war, but right now as well, so that the country is able to function during the war.
Polish and Baltic presidents visited Borodyanka near Kyiv. There massive damages and bodies of murdered civilians were uncovered after Russian forces packed up and left, as reported by the Polish President’s Chancellery.
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal went together with Latvian President Egils Levits, Estonian President Alars Kariss, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Polish President Andrzej Duda.
«Our goal is supporting Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s defenders in this decisive moment,» as mentioned in the statement released by Polish President’s Chancellery.
«Irpin, Borodyanka – atrocities and wounds cut by war everywhere. Ruins of houses, churches, stores and bridges. Ukraine needs a recovery plan, its own Marshal plan, which helped Western Europe recover after WWII,» Levits wrote on Twitter.
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The visit of the four presidents to Ukraine was organised by Poland, which ensured logistics and security together with Ukraine, as reported by Ukrainska pravda.
Polish and Baltic presidents arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday. Before their departure on Tuesday, presidents met in Žešov, Poland, and discussed aid for Ukraine.
On 24 February Russia invaded Ukraine, attacking military and civilian infrastructure and killing troops and civilians, according to reports.