EU leaders to meet with Zelensky in Kyiv amid Russian bombardment

The prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia will be meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday in Kyiv as the capital is set to undergo a 35-hour curfew, according to multiple reports.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of Poland, Prime Minister Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša are meeting with Zelensky on Tuesday. 

“The visit is organized in consultation with the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the President of the European Commission 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. The aim of this visit is also to present a broad package of support for the Ukraine and Ukrainians,” Fiala wrote in a Facebook post of the visit.

Morawieck expressed a similar sentiment in social media posts on Tuesday, underscoring European solidarity with Ukraine.

“Together with Deputy PM Jarosław Kaczyński, PM @P_Fiala and PM @JJansaSDS we are going to Kiev to meet President @ZelenskyyUa and PM @Denys_Shmyhal. Europe must guarantee Ukraine’s independence and ensure that it is ready to help in Ukraine’s reconstruction,” Morawieck tweeted.

The development comes as authorities say at least two people were killed on Tuesday following shelling from Russian forces in Kyiv as Russia tries to make inroads in the Ukrainian capital, according to Reuters.

Unless civilians have a special pass, residents will not be allowed to leave their homes between Tuesday at 8 p.m local time and Thursday at 7 a.m. People will only be allowed to travel to go to bomb shelters.

Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Monday that negotiations would continue between Ukraine and Russia after the two sides started their fourth round of talks that day.

“The parties actively express their specified positions. Communication is being held yet it’s hard. The reason for the discord is too different political systems. [Ukraine] is a free dialogue within the society & an obligatory consensus. [Russia] is an ultimatum suppression of its own society,” Podolyak tweeted.

“A technical pause has been taken in the negotiations until tomorrow. For additional work in the working subgroups and clarification of individual definitions. Negotiations continue,” he added in a later tweet.

Close to three weeks since the Russian invasion began, data from the United Nations refugee agency indicates close to 3 million people have fled the country.