Preparations for NATO summit, situation at front, European integration and Peace Formula: Zelenskyy meets with Presidents of Lithuania and Poland in Kyiv

Zelenskyy shared the statement on Telegram.

"I am pleased to welcome our good, true friends and partners - President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda and President of Poland Andrzej Duda - to Kyiv. 

On the Constitution Day of Ukraine, such a meeting is a clear signal of support for our freedom and our Europe, our aspiration to live freely and according to the law," he wrote.

During the meeting, the three leaders discussed security issues, including the actions of Ukrainian soldiers at the front, preparations for the NATO summit, European integration and the Peace Formula, Ukrinform reports.

"Today we discussed the full range of topical and security issues that are objectively on our agenda. I briefed my counterparts on the activities of our soldiers that are taking place at the front now and which allow us to liberate our land step by step, but nevertheless," Zelenskyy said during a joint press conference with the Polish and Lithuanian leaders in Kyiv.

Regarding Ukraine's European integration, Zelenskyy pointed out that Ukraine expects negotiations on EU membership to begin this year and thanked the partners for their support.

"Of course, we talked about the Formula for Peace and our preparations for the Global Peace Summit, which will unite different states for one goal – to really overcome Russian aggression. Russia will lose this war, no one in Europe doubts that. And we will win peace and real lasting security for our peoples. All together, in unity, strengthening each other, strengthening our alliances, including NATO, strengthening the European Union and our common European way of life," he said.

The President of Poland reiterated his support for Ukraine's aspirations to become a full member of the EU. And one of the main objectives of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Andrzej Duda said, is to provide security guarantees to Ukraine on its way to full membership in the North Atlantic Alliance.

"We are deeply convinced that the security of Ukraine is the security of all of us. It is in our common interest to make NATO as strong as possible in our part of Europe. And in the very near future, we want Ukraine to become a full member of the Alliance, one of the armies of the alliance, which will be covered by Article 5 of the NATO Charter," he said.

The Lithuanian leader underlined that his country also supports Ukraine's membership in NATO. He also expressed hope that Ukraine would start negotiations on joining the European Union this year.

"Today, in the formula of the Lublin Triangle, we meet to celebrate the Constitution Day of Ukraine. We are showing the whole world that Ukraine is sovereign, proud and free. And it will be, because Ukraine will win, despite Russia's aggression," Andrzej Duda said, as quoted by his office on Twitter.

"By supporting Ukraine in its aspirations to be part of the Euro-Atlantic and European community, we believe that in this way we are building the future, security and prosperity of our part of Europe. This is our job," he added.

In his turn, Gitanas Nausėda tweeted that Ukraine belongs to the European family and expressed his belief that negotiations on Ukraine's EU membership should begin this year.

"The message I want to convey to Ukrainian people - Ukraine will never stand alone.

Ukraine belongs to the European family. We must start European membership negotiations already this year," he wrote.

• On Wednesday, 28 June, the Presidents of Poland, Andrzej Duda, and Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, arrived in Kyiv for an unannounced visit. Both countries have consistently supported Ukraine in its fight against Russia, as well as on its path to NATO and the EU. 

• Thus, on 16 June, the Sejm of the Republic of Poland adopted a resolution in support of Ukraine's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance. Later, in an interview with Ukrainian TV channels, including Espreso, Duda said that he believed it would be best if NATO formally invited Ukraine to join the Alliance at the summit in Vilnius in July.

• The Lithuanian Seimas unanimously adopted a resolution including a formal invitation to Ukraine to join the Alliance on 6 April.

• On 28 June, the President of Lithuania announced that his country had purchased two NASAMS ground-based air defense systems for Ukraine