European leaders return safely to Poland after Kyiv visit

WARSAW, Poland — The prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia safely return to Poland after a visit to Kyiv intended to show support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s military onslaught.

The leaders met with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday to convey a message of solidarity with Ukraine and of support for the nation’s aspirations to one day join the European Union.

They went ahead with the hours-long train journey despite concerns about risks to their security while traveling through a war zone.

All three countries are members of the European Union and NATO. Although pronouncing their trip to be an EU mission, officials in Brussels cast it as something the three leaders had undertaken on their own. NATO’s secretary-general said it was good for allies to engage closely with Zelensky, but also didn’t clearly endorse it.

At home, they won widespread praise, hailed as brave for traveling into a war zone when other Western leaders dared not. There were some, however, who criticized the leaders of NATO states for making a risky trip that was largely symbolic without a clear international mandate.

For his part, Zelensky voiced his appreciation for the show of support from members of the EU, which he hopes Ukraine will one day be able to join.

Prime Ministers Mateusz Morawiecki of Poland, Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic and Janez Jansa of Slovenia were joined by Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski — the chief of the ruling conservative party and the country’s most powerful leader.