PRAGUE -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Prague on July 6 for a visit with senior Czech officials as Kyiv pushes for NATO membership and more weapons that can be deployed in its ongoing counteroffensive against Russian forces.
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Zelenskiy arrived in the Czech capital from Bulgaria, another NATO country, where he received assurances of support from Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov and signed a declaration on Ukraine's integration into Western organizations, namely NATO and the EU.
Zelenskiy said he would hold “substantive negotiations” while in Prague with President Petr Pavel, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, President of the Senate Milos Vystrcil, and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Marketa Pekarova Adamova. He was also expected to meet with members of the government, parliament, and media.
He said he also would discuss the situation around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and the rebuilding of Ukraine.
Zelenskiy told reporters that slow weapons deliveries to Ukraine had delayed Kyiv's counteroffensive, allowing Russia to bolster its defenses in occupied areas.
Zelenskiy held meetings earlier in Sofia with government officials, including Denkov, Bulgaria’s new prime minister, who signaled a break from the previous caretaker government’s reluctance to provide lethal aid to Ukraine when he took power last month.
Denkov emphasized his country's support for Ukraine during Zelenskiy’s brief visit to the Bulgarian capital.
“Bulgaria is consistent in its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine because we are convinced that an independent and sovereign Ukraine is key for Euro-Atlantic security in the region,” Denkov said after talks with Zelenskiy.
“Russia should withdraw unconditionally within its internationally recognized borders and should bear its responsibility,” Denkov added.
SEE ALSO: 'It's Not A Chess Game, It's Pure Madness': Residents Near Russian-Controlled Nuclear Plant In Ukraine Fear CatastropheZelenskiy's visit coincided with a vote in the Bulgarian parliament backing a declaration of support for Ukraine to join NATO once the war is over.
Ihor Zhovkva, an adviser to Zelenskiy, said on Facebook that, with the declaration, Bulgaria became the 22nd state with which Ukraine formalized the support of its membership in NATO.
"The document clearly shows that Bulgaria supports Ukraine's membership in NATO as soon as conditions allow," Zhovkva said.
Zelenskiy also held talks with President Rumen Radev who has opposed sending military aid to Kyiv. Ahead of the closed-door meeting, Radev stood firm on his position and called for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
SEE ALSO: Deaths Of Father, Son Show How Russia's Poorest Regions Bear The Burden Of Putin's Wars"The security environment is alarming in our region as well. The conflict is expanding its spatial scope," Radev said, repeatedly referring to "the conflict," saying it is turning into a war of attrition and has no military solution.
Zelenskiy responded by saying he hopes the people of Bulgaria "understand that this is not a conflict, but a war. In a conflict, millions of people do not leave the country," he said.
He told Radev, whose country is home to a thriving arms industry, that there is a difference between opposing sending arms to Ukraine to prevent Bulgaria's own military from being weakened and supporting the strengthening of Ukraine.
"Whatever you have [left] will be insufficient for your army to fight Russia if it comes here," he said.
The Kremlin criticized Zelenskiy's visit to Bulgaria, saying the Ukrainian leader was trying to "drag" other countries into the conflict.
Both Zelenskiy and Radev also acknowledged the risks presented by the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, which is occupied by Russian forces. Russian and Ukraine have recently accused each other of planning to attack the power plant.
WATCH: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on NATO to send "a clear signal" about his nation's future membership in the military alliance less than a week ahead of a NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital. Zelenskiy made the comments at a July 6 news conference in Prague alongside Czech President Petr Pavel.
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Zelenskiy Calls For 'Clear Signal' On Ukraine's NATO Membership
Zelenskiy called the seizure of the plant one of the ways Russia has attempted to blackmail Ukraine and its supporters, while Radev said the situation means the risk of radioactive contamination spreading in Europe is growing.
"The seizure of this plant is also not a conflict, but a war," Zelenskiy said.
Zelenskiy is expected to travel to Turkey on July 7 for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion for talks with counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish state media reported.
The meeting is expected to focus on the Turkish- and UN-brokered deal with Russia to allow shipments of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports. Russia has hinted that it could block the deal, which is set to expire on July 17.
Zelenskiy also is expected to push Erdogan to give the green light to Sweden's membership in NATO ahead of the alliance's July 11-12 summit in Vilnius.