President Volodymyr Zelenskyi told his compatriots on Wednesday evening that he spoke for almost an hour by phone with the President of Poland Andrzej Duda, with whom he is working on a formula that will give Ukraine a concrete prospect of joining NATO at the summit in Vilnius next month, News.ro reports.

“In every conversation, we pay considerable attention to long-term guarantees of security and peace, and not only for us. And it’s always effective,” the President of Ukraine noted.

“Poland is very realistic about the need for Ukraine to join NATO. And this is an objective necessity. We are working together on the development of specific content for the Alliance summit in Vilnius,” Zelenskyy said, noting that he spoke with the Polish president for an hour mainly on security issues, the situation on the battlefield, and weapons for Ukrainian soldiers.

“This (the Vilnius summit – no) is precisely the moment when Russian assumptions that someone in NATO is still afraid of Russia should be completely dispelled. Such assumptions fuel Russia’s aggressive ambitions. We must and can neutralize them,” said Zelensky, who thanked Poland for “the support provided to Ukraine and for the real strengthening of NATO.”

At the NATO summit in Vilnius, to which Zelensky was invited, Ukraine wants to receive specific security guarantees and a clear prospect of joining the Alliance, along with continued support from the West to fight against Russia.

Zelenskyy made less mention of the counteroffensive situation in his speech Wednesday night, but he had words of thanks and encouragement for Ukraine’s military, given that officials in Kyiv have previously said the fighting is “tough” and that the territorial advance is small but steady. Zelensky said that those currently fighting in the east and south of the country are “opening up strategic space” for victory.

“I thank everyone who fights and works for our victory! I am especially grateful to each of you who are currently fighting in the east and south of our country to open a strategic space for Ukraine, a space for moving towards victory. I thank all those who are now on the offensive and in the defense, who storm the positions of the occupiers and repulse their assaults – thank you, soldiers, for your courage, for your resistance and for every meter gained!” – said Zelensky.