The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the President of Slovakia Zuzana Čaputová in Kyiv.
The Head of State thanked Zuzana Čaputová for her determination and moral leadership shown in the face of the full-scale Russian invasion, as well as for supporting the Ukrainian Peace Formula.
“We appreciate that thanks to cooperation, relations between our states have become the most meaningful since 1991. First of all, it’s defense cooperation with Slovakia and political interaction, especially at the level of the European Union,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.
The leaders discussed in detail the situation on the front and the intentions of the Russian occupiers. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Russian aggressor state had launched a new wave of counteroffensives in the Kharkiv direction.
“Ukraine met them there with our troops, brigades and artillery. It is important that they can increase their forces and bring more troops in this direction. This is a fact. But our army and our military command were aware of this and calculated their capabilities to meet the enemy with fire. Now a fierce battle is underway,” the President said.
Apart from that, during the meeting, the state leaders focused on the needs of Ukraine, especially the military ones, aimed at disrupting the plans of the occupier.
“Today we have also discussed political cooperation – something that can strengthen us and send a clear message to Russia that there is and will be no alternative to a just peace. This time in May and early June is dedicated to active diplomacy – our work for the Global Peace Summit,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The President of Slovakia, Zuzana Čaputová, noted that from the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion, her country sheltered Ukrainian refugees and was one of the first to provide military assistance, including air defense systems and aircraft. According to her, cooperation between the two countries continues: there is an agreement to complete and launch the Kyiv-Košice railroad connection and to increase electricity transit.
“This tragedy must be stopped. The entire civilized world must be involved. Only a just peace is acceptable. We deeply respect your courage and resilience. You are defending not only your own country, but also the principles on which our security is based,” she assured.
For the first time since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, Zuzana Čaputová arrived in Ukraine in May 2022. This is her third visit since then.
