Ukraine hails 'largest' diplomatic and military support amid Russia crisis
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he welcomed the diplomatic and military support provided to his country in recent weeks amid warnings of a Russian invasion.
Zelenskyy said "diplomatic support for Ukraine is the largest and most unconditional since 2014 and it continues. Military and technical assistance to Ukraine is the largest, most valuable and continues to arrive."
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 after pro-European Union and Western protests in the capital Kyiv.
In the years since, Ukraine has been plagued by conflict with Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country, which has left more than 13,000 dead.
Despite the signing of peace agreements, the political settlement is deadlocked and the violence has never completely ceased.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki are expected in Kyiv on Tuesday.
They are to be followed later in the week by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Next week five foreign ministers from European countries are expected there, including the French and the German.
"Such an intensity of visits is an important factor in stabilising the situation," said Zelenskyy.
He said Ukraine was working "actively" to organise a new summit for the settlement of the conflict in the east of the country, a so-called "Normandy" format with Russian, French and German leaders.
Zelenskyy also signed a decree that aims to increase the strength of the Ukrainian army by 100,000 soldiers in three years, in addition to the current 250,000.
Russia is accused by the West of having massed tens of thousands of soldiers on the border of its neighbour in anticipation of a possible invasion. Moscow denies any such intentions.
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