Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Poland on Wednesday amid new military aid from Western allies.
Zelensky met with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw. The pair were set to deliver joint remarks later in the day.
Zelensky was also expected to speak to Ukrainian refugees on Wednesday. Poland has taken in the vast bulk of fleeing Ukrainians—some 1.5 million refugees—since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Though Zelensky has passed through Poland en route to the U.S. and Britain in recent months, Wednesday marked his first dedicated stop in Poland as a way of thanking a key ally in Ukraine’s war against Russia.
The visit comes one day after the Pentagon pledged an additional $2.6 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, including air surveillance radars, anti-tank rockets and fuel trucks. So far, U.S. aid to Ukraine has reportedly exceeded some $35 billion.
Meanwhile, NATO allies, including Poland, Germany and Portugal have promised to donate a total of 48 Leopard 2 German tanks to Ukraine’s cause, while Spain has said the six Leopard 2A4 tanks it promised are due to arrive in late April.
The visit also comes one day after Finland, which borders Russia, official gave up its more than 100 years of military neutrality to become the 31st member of NATO, the largest military alliance in the world.
During Wednesday’s visit, Duda awarded Zelensky Poland’s oldest and highest civilian distinction, The Order of the White Eagle. Duda said it’s bestowed upon outstanding people in Poland and in Poland’s international relations.
