The Czech and Polish governments have announced that three European leaders would go to Kyiv on Tuesday to express the European Union’s “unwavering solidarity” for Ukraine and to give financial assistance to the country. The presidents of the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovenia will go to the Ukrainian capital as combat rages throughout the city, with a half-dozen powerful explosions rattling downtown Kyiv in the wee hours of the morning, according to reports.
In the face of mounting evidence that Russia’s progress has been halted on a number of fronts, discussions between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were scheduled to continue on Tuesday, providing a limited road to a diplomatic settlement.
By renewing his pleas to Russian servicemen and people shocked by the conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hoped to increase pressure on the Kremlin and bring the combat to a halt. The president delivered a video speech in Russian, saying, “As long as your nation has not fully cut itself off from the rest of the world, turning into a very enormous North Korea, you must fight.”
There was no indication that the Kremlin will lessen its offensive, however, as it continues to rely on long-range missiles and heavy artillery to strike towns and other targets around the country.
