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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. AP/PA Images

Polish, Czech and Slovenian prime ministers meet Zelenskyy in Kyiv

This is the first visit by foreign leaders to Ukraine’s besieged capital since the invasion began.

LAST UPDATE | 15 Mar 2022

THE POLISH, CZECH and Slovenian prime ministers met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv today in the first visit by foreign leaders to Ukraine’s besieged capital since Russia’s invasion.

The prime ministers, who arrived by train, sat round a table with their Ukrainian counterpart Denis Shmyhal and the Ukrainian president.

“They are shelling everywhere. Not only Kyiv but also the western areas,” Zelenskyy told them in comments translated into English, a video posted on his Telegram account showed.

“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.

Ukraine had the “unequivocal support” of the European Union, he added.

Shmyhal earlier confirmed their arrival in a post on Twitter, saluting “the courage of true friends of Ukraine”.

He said their talks would focus on support for Ukraine and “strengthening sanctions against the Russian aggression”.

Morawiecki, Czech premier Petr Fiala and Slovenia’s Prime Minister Janez Jansa, are visiting as “representatives” of the European Union, said an early statement from the Polish government.

The visit comes as Russia pummels targets across Ukraine including Kyiv, which has nearly been encircled by Moscow’s troops, and as Russia and Ukraine are due to resume talks to end the nearly three-week war.

“In such crucial times for the world, it is our duty to be in the place where history is being made,” Morawiecki said in a Facebook post earlier today.

Because this is not about us, it is about the future of our children who deserve to live in a world free from tyranny.

The government statement said that the visit had been organised “in agreement” with European Council chief Charles Michel and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

“The purpose of the visit is to confirm the unequivocal support of the entire European Union for the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and to present a broad package of support for the Ukrainian state and society,” the statement said.

The trio is accompanied by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland’s populist right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party.

 © AFP 2022

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    Mute Maria Clery-Breen
    Favourite Maria Clery-Breen
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    Mar 15th 2022, 4:31 PM

    No fear of our shower putting themselves in danger , they will be living the high life in the USA

    306
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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Mar 15th 2022, 4:37 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: was 2 FF members not in Ukraine last week?

    273
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    Mute Billy Davies
    Favourite Billy Davies
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    Mar 15th 2022, 4:42 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: Always certain of a daily dose of loving positively in the comments section of the journal.

    177
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    Mute Steve O'Reilly
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    Mar 15th 2022, 4:45 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: and if they were there you’d be complaining that it’s all a photo op. No pleasing some people. You should consider changing your name from Maria to Karen.

    196
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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    Mar 15th 2022, 4:58 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: They did, only last week. And when they did we had whingers claiming they only went for the photo-op. Slammed if they do, slammed if they don’t. No winning with people of your mindset.

    162
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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
    Favourite Liam MacSuibhne
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    Mar 15th 2022, 5:58 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: grow up, get a job and lose the alt-right bull sh it. “All politicians bad” , yes that’s right, Ms. Double-barrell surname. Aren’t you great? Made a cl own out of yourself there

    101
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    Mute Tony Harris
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    Mar 15th 2022, 10:10 PM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: Invalid. A bit like yourself.

    30
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    Mute Maria Clery-Breen
    Favourite Maria Clery-Breen
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    Mar 15th 2022, 10:18 PM

    @Liam MacSuibhne: bit old to be getting a job Liam ,,been a pensioner for 7 years .

    10
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    Mute Joseph Mc Dermott
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    Mar 15th 2022, 11:19 PM

    @Tommy Roche: they didn’t. They only went to the border

    10
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    Mute Felim O'Rourke
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    Mar 15th 2022, 11:27 PM

    @Chris Mc: and there were complaints here as well

    6
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    Mute bkyona
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    Mar 16th 2022, 12:33 AM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: upskill your pensionership so that those that come after you have something left to give to our grandchildren.

    9
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    Mute Michael Reilly
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    Mar 16th 2022, 10:11 AM

    @Joseph Mc Dermott: They went to LVIV.

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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
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    Mar 16th 2022, 11:20 AM

    @Maria Clery-Breen: Well show a bit of cop on and quit with the vacuous, inaccurate BS, you should be a bit wiser and less reactionary at your age.
    They WERE over there already.

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    Mute Eamonn Tierney
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    Mar 15th 2022, 4:55 PM

    Wish them safe travel, hopefully others will follow to help Stop This War

    196
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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Mar 15th 2022, 5:07 PM

    @Eamonn Tierney: war won’t stop because they entered a warzone. The do so at there own risk.

    27
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    Mute Phil Quinn
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    Mar 15th 2022, 5:11 PM

    @Eamonn Tierney: agreed…..if china backs russia as reported today its really bad for the long term future of this world. the nuclear question will hang over all if us indefinetly, nato or not

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    Mute Lee King Buckett
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    Mar 15th 2022, 8:05 PM

    @Phil Quinn: As reported today? Any links to that as all the reports I’ve read are saying that whilst they won’t denounce Russia, the Chinese are still firmly on the fence and wary about suffering sanctions.

    43
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    Mute John O Mahony
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    Mar 15th 2022, 4:42 PM

    While our shower are pouncing about with bowls of shamrock

    86
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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Mar 15th 2022, 5:06 PM

    @John O Mahony: I’m no fan of our but 2 FF members were in Ukraine last week and people complained that they were wasting taxpayers money. There really is no winning for them.

    253
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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
    Favourite Liam MacSuibhne
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    Mar 15th 2022, 6:00 PM

    @John O Mahony: they were there last week John.
    Do grow up little, will ya?

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    Mute Sheila McNulty
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    Mar 15th 2022, 10:08 PM

    @John O Mahony: rather silly comment

    27
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    Mute Tom Leddy
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    Mar 15th 2022, 11:10 PM

    @Sheila McNulty: It gets the likes though especially on Facebook and that’s all that matters really!!

    9
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    Mute Joseph Mc Dermott
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    Mar 15th 2022, 11:21 PM

    @Liam MacSuibhne: they were not, they went to the border only

    8
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    Mute Patrick O Connell
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    Mar 15th 2022, 11:50 PM

    @John O Mahony: and Mary Lou took off to the USA, thought she might have gone to support her comrades in Russia

    20
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    Mute Fachtna Roe
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    Mar 16th 2022, 8:39 AM

    @Roy Dowling: The accusation of wasting money are likely related to covering the cost of the return part of the journey.

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    Mute Brian Ó Murchú
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    Mar 16th 2022, 5:17 PM

    @John O Mahony: Don’t you mean “poncing”

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    Mute Brian Ó Murchú
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    Mar 16th 2022, 5:17 PM

    @John O Mahony: Don’t you mean “poncing”

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    Mute leartius
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    Mar 15th 2022, 8:54 PM

    If Charlie Haughty and his fearless ‘soldiers of destiny’ were still around I can only imagine Ireland response.
    Kicking open jet door at 30,000 feet over Ukraine. Parachuting straight into front line action. Dressed in matching tri colour mankini’s. Running between bomb craters, three grenades hanging from each nipple Ring. Russians falling back in panic as a column of tanks get destroyed by homemade sticky bombs.
    Instead we send Timmy over without even a sharply worded love letter.

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    Mute Tom kenny
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    Mar 15th 2022, 9:56 PM

    @leartius: now there’s an image

    23
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    Mute Dick Nagle
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    Mar 15th 2022, 10:38 PM

    @leartius: that’s some fetish you have there. I’ll have nightmares for a week.

    33
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    Mute Mike Walsh
    Favourite Mike Walsh
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    Mar 15th 2022, 10:12 PM

    Nobody wants to talk about how this conflict occurred.
    Are we Europeans so afraid of the US REGIME?
    THE US is totally responsible for this war in the East of Europe. I hope the orchestrators get severely punished by Russia when their intervention in Ukraine achieves its purpose.

    29
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    Mute Juniper
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    Mar 15th 2022, 10:20 PM

    @Mike Walsh: No. This war started with the invasion of an independent former state of the USSR being invaded by Russian forces who were told they would be liberating Ukraine from an alleged fascist leader.
    The US are no more responsible for this than they are for climate change.

    118
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    Mute Albert Brennerman
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    Mar 15th 2022, 11:09 PM

    @Mike Walsh: Fairplay Mick , The Good Guy is the Bad Guy, Your Friend is REally Your Enemy. Only you have figured this out.
    The US has done terrible things but I am sure Ukraine is happy now not to be throwing stones at the tanks blowing up their cities. This is the most murderous campaign I have ever seen. Russia will need 688K troops to hold the country and this was without the insurgency they will get now for murdering and destroying civilians.

    This ultimately yields nothing but one interesting thing.

    The Ukraine, Russia itself, the EU,USA and China and all the Oligarchs all have one common problem and its not Ukraine.

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    Mute JustMeAgain
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    Mar 15th 2022, 11:10 PM

    @Mike Walsh: Isn’t it fantastic that you can spill whatever you want without thinking it over, or educating yourself – and nobody puts you away for 15 years? Or do you consider it boring and decadent and would like the thrill that Ruzzki regime can deliver to citizens through Omon,FSB and other charities? Go visit, and whon knows, you might stay longer.

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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
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    Mar 15th 2022, 11:15 PM

    @Mike Walsh: You Russian?

    22
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    Mute JustMeAgain
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    Mar 15th 2022, 11:16 PM

    @Thomas O’ Donnell: Doesn’t have to be, mentality has no passport

    16
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    Mute Billybutcher
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    Mar 16th 2022, 1:43 AM

    @Mike Walsh: another reason why there should be a reality test to allow people comment on social media. Or you are just a troll

    19
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    Mute Brian Ó Murchú
    Favourite Brian Ó Murchú
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    Mar 16th 2022, 5:20 PM

    @Mike Walsh: KremlinGremlins at it again When does this misinformation stop being funny?

    1
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