Steel Nerves

Polish, Czech, and Slovenian prime ministers announce Kyiv visit as Russian shelling ramps up

The government of Poland announced Tuesday that its prime minister and his counterparts from the Czech Republic and Slovenia are heading to Kyiv to show support for Ukraine and its leaders amid Russia's invasion. "The aim of the visit is to express the European Union's unequivocal support for Ukraine and its freedom and independence," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala tweeted.

Fiala, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński, and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal on Tuesday as representatives of the European Union. Along with supporting "the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine," Poland said, "the aim of this visit is also to present a broad package of support for Ukraine and Ukrainians."

Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia are also part of NATO. It isn't clear who the countries plan to ensure the safety of their leaders, but Russia hit Kyiv with a series of large artillery strikes Tuesday morning, hitting a 15-story apartment building, damaging the entrance to a subway station being used as a bomb shelter, and destroying other civilian targets.