The President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, recalled the meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, on the eve of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, on February 23.

According to him, at that time he did not expect to see the head of our state again.

Duda told about this in an interview with Natalia Moseichuk.

"We went to Kyiv on February 23 with President Gitanas Nauseda precisely in order to show that we support Ukraine and that we support President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. Yes, there was a thought, I admit, that I might see him for the last time. Yes, there was a moment , when we said goodbye, and the shivers went away when he himself, by the way, said that this could be our last meeting," Duda said.

The President of Poland also recalled the meeting with Zelenskyi in April 2022.

He called her warm and touching.

"That's probably why we met so warmly, it was very touching for me when we met again in April. Yes, we were very afraid then, actually, because he told us that he would not leave Kyiv, he would not leave Ukraine, he would be here until the end , and no one knew what was going to happen, no one knew what the scale of the Russian aggression would be, no one could say for sure at that moment, so our fears were really great. But we wanted to be there for him at that moment, we wanted to show that we are with Ukraine, and we have always been with Ukraine," Duda said.

He reminded that both he and representatives of the Polish government have visited Ukraine many times and are currently staying with the Ukrainians until now.

"We are with Ukraine all the time. I am in constant contact with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. When he tells me that there are some needs, I try to satisfy them," the Polish president added.

He also touched on the topic of military aid to Ukraine from Poland and other European countries.

"If I can do it, then it is within our Polish competence, and if it requires more extensive negotiations, then I just conduct these negotiations, turn to him, try to support Ukraine and try to support him as a person who, from my point of view , heads this defense of Ukraine as the president of the state," Duda added.

It will be recalled that the President of Poland previously noted that the West tried to talk with Russia and hoped that an act of aggression would not happen, but the war had started. 

Duda also repeatedly called on the West to immediately give Ukraine equipment.

He emphasized that the Russian Federation is capable of defeating Ukraine if the Western allies do not supply weapons to the Armed Forces.

And during his visit to Latvia, the Polish president said that he advised the Ukrainian leader to accept Russia's capitulation in Pereyaslav.

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