Boarding Train, Three Prime Ministers Of European Union Meet With President Zelensky To Give Support Against Russian Invasion

JAKARTA - The prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovenia arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday to show high-level support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who briefed them on the war with Russia.

The three, who arrived by train, are the first foreign leaders to visit the capital since Russia invaded last month.

"Your visit to Kyiv at this difficult time for Ukraine is a sign of strong support. We really appreciate it," President Zelensky said in an online post.

Brief footage released by his office shows him speaking in Ukrainian and English to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala, and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who will also meet Ukrainian officials.

Also in attendance were Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the country's ruling PiS party, which is seen as the country's main decision maker.

Russian airstrikes and shelling hit Kyiv on Tuesday killing at least four people, authorities said, as assault forces tightened their grip and the mayor declared a 35-hour curfew.

"Here in war-torn Kyiv, history is being made. Here, freedom struggles against a world of tyranny. This is where our future all hangs in the balance," Morawiecki wrote on Twitter.

The Czech Republic and Poland, former communist members of the European Union and NATO, have been among the strongest backers of Ukraine in Europe since the Russian invasion.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal praised what he called "the courage of a true friend" and said leaders would discuss support for Ukraine and further sanctions.

Poland's state-run broadcaster TVP Info reported that PM Morawiecki and Kaczynski also went to meet Kyiv authorities.

Meanwhile, PM Fiala said the decision to visit was taken after consultation with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The idea for the trip was agreed at a summit of EU leaders at Versailles in France last week, Dworczyk said.

However, an EU official said there was no "formal mandate" given by Brussels.

"This is a very valid initiative. Any initiative to bring peace back to Ukraine is certainly welcome," the official said.

"Some leaders may also wonder: will this harm or will improve the conditions of negotiations with Russia. It remains to be seen, of course. This is a good line," he said.

For information, Russia has called its actions a special military operation to denazify Ukraine, which Kyiv and its Western allies reject as a pretext for an unjustified and illegal attack.