Parliamentary delegation of Polish lawmakers arrives in Ukraine

A group of lawmakers from the two chambers of the Polish parliament – Sejm and Senate – arrived in Ukraine on April 29, said Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine's parliament.

Stefanchuk met with Polish members of the Ukraine-Poland Parliamentary Friendship Group to discuss military aid for Kyiv and sanctions against Russia, among other topics.

"Ukraine urgently needs additional air defense systems to protect cities from missile attacks by the Russian Federation," Stefanchuk wrote on Facebook.

Ukraine is facing a shortage of air defense systems amid an uptick in Russian attacks on population centers and energy infrastructure.

Warsaw ruled out providing Ukraine with Patriot systems, which are highly effective at intercepting Russia's ballistic and cruise missiles, as Warsaw lacks reserves of its own but pledged to provide other air defense assistance.

Stefanchuk said he and the Polish delegation also discussed NATO's July summit in Washington and Kyiv's 10-point peace formula.

"This plan remains the only realistic and comprehensive plan to restore Ukraine's territorial integrity and guarantee security and justice for the international community," he added.

While Poland has been a staunch ally to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, prolonged border blockades led by Polish farmers have led to deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Warsaw.

The blockade along the entire Polish-Ukrainian border was lifted on April 29 after Polish protesters had stopped their blockade at the Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska crossing point, according to Ukraine's Border Guard Service.

Read also: Air Force: Poland capable of protecting skies over western Ukraine but political will needed

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