Czech, Polish, And Slovenian PMs Visit Zelenskiy In Kyiv

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala

The prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovenia visited Kyiv on March 15 in an "unequivocal" show of support for Ukraine as Russia continues its assault on the country.

"We have to halt this tragedy unfolding in the East as quickly as possible," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in a post on Facebook announcing their arrival.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said in a tweet that the three leaders were to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal.

"The aim of the visit is to express the European Union's unequivocal support for Ukraine and its freedom and independence," Fiala said.

Fiala, Morawiecki, and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa traveled by train to Kyiv, a city that is still under bombardment, forcing many people to spend nights sheltering in underground stations. Russian forces stepped up strikes overnight on several suburbs of Kyiv as part of their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Nearly three weeks into a war that Western countries say Moscow believed it would win within days, Russian forces have been halted outside Kyiv despite the targeting of the city and its suburbs.

Hosting the foreign prime ministers in his own capital would be a symbolic success for Zelenskiy, who has stayed in Kyiv to rally his nation with nightly messages.

In his most recent message, Zelenskiy called on Russian forces to surrender, saying they and their officers already know that the war is hopeless.

With reporting by Reuters