"There is no doubt that you Mister President, that you Volodymyr, are an absolutely special man who received a mandate from its people to serve as president of Ukraine and accomplished this very exceptional mission," Poland's President Andrzej Duda said and awarded his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy with Poland's highest order - the Order of the White Eagle. President Zelenskiy thanked Polish authorities and people for support. "You have not abandoned Ukraine, you have stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and we are grateful for it," he stressed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Poland on Wednesday, buoyed by the latest announcement of U.S. military aid, as Russian troops pressed on with their long and costly battle to seize the eastern city of Bakhmut.
At a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, President Andrzej Duda decorated President Zelenskiy with the Order of the White Eagle.
"The Order of White Eagle which I have an honour today to award to Mister President Zelenskiy is the oldest and the most precious Polish order," said president Duda.
"There is no doubt that you Mister President, that you Volodymyr, are an absolutely special man who received a mandate from its people to serve as president of Ukraine and accomplished this very exceptional mission that no one could have predicted and looking at your service to your country, it is hard to hide the tears of emotion," Duda added.
"It's a great honour for me to be here today with my wife, and to thank the President, his team, the Polish government, and every Pole for what you have already done," said president Zelenskiy.
"You have not abandoned Ukraine, you have stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and we are grateful for it. I believe that these are historic relations, a historic result, and historic strength between our countries," Zelenskiy added.
The Order of the White Eagle is Poland's highest decoration awarded to both civilians and the military for their service.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters, PAP