President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that the Ukrainian counteroffensive was “slow”, but that Kyiv’s troops were advancing, AFP reports.

“The offensive is not fast, that’s a fact,” he admitted.

“However, we are moving forward, not retreating like the Russians,” the Ukrainian president, together with his Czech counterpart Petr Pavel, assured journalists in Prague. “Now we have the initiative,” he said.

The President of Ukraine said on Thursday that Kyiv wants “honesty” in its relations with NATO, a few days before the crucial NATO summit in Lithuania.

“We need honesty in our relations,” Zelensky told the press in Prague. It is time to demonstrate “the courage and strength of this alliance,” he added.

According to Reuters, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi arrived in the Czech capital of Prague on Thursday as part of a tour aimed at engaging Kyiv on a faster path to NATO membership ahead of next week’s summit.

Ukraine wants a clear signal from NATO at the July 11-12 summit in Vilnius that it can join the military alliance when Russia’s war against its country ends.

Although Ukraine wants to join as soon as possible, NATO members are divided on how quickly the move should be made, with some wary of moves they believe could bring the alliance closer to war with Russia.

“The visit of the Ukrainian president should be a sign of gratitude for the support that the Czech Republic has provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian aggression, and bring mutual assurances that this support will continue,” the office of Czech President Petr Pavel said. in the statement.

“During the meeting, the presidents should coordinate their positions on the eve of the NATO summit in Vilnius, where it is expected that security guarantees for Ukraine will be discussed.”

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