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Czech PM plans meeting with Zelenskyy in Yerevan
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš plans a brief meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Armenia but says he has no plans to travel to Kyiv.
Ukrainska Pravda
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Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš is set to hold brief in-person talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Armenia on 3 May.
Details: Babiš did not specify the agenda of the talks. It will be his first face-to-face meeting with Zelenskyy since taking office as head of the current Czech government.
Babiš and other representatives of parties in the ruling coalition have previously taken a critical stance towards Ukraine and Zelenskyy in particular.
"There I will also hold short bilateral meetings with UK Prime Minister Starmer, the Serbian PM and the Moldovan president. I will also hold talks with President Zelenskyy for the first time," he said, commenting on his trip to the European Political Community summit after returning from visits to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
"It is important that we meet," Babiš said about the planned talks with Zelenskyy.
Meanwhile, the Czech PM said he does not plan to visit Ukraine. "No, I will not go to Kyiv," he stated.
However, he added that he may meet Zelenskyy in the future at a conference in Poland expected to focus on Ukraine's reconstruction.
Babiš will travel to Armenia for the European Political Community summit on 3 May, where leaders are expected to discuss energy and economic security, the current geopolitical situation and the strengthening of stability in Europe.
Background:
Before taking office, Babiš had pledged to cancel the ammunition initiative which helps supply artillery shells to Ukraine.
He later softened his position, saying the initiative should instead be handled at NATO level.
Following a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris, Babiš said the initiative to supply ammunition to Ukraine could continue if it is funded by other countries.
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