The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces Of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyi congratulated Poland on its Armed Forces Day as they addressed their neighbours in Polish on Monday, August 15.
Zelenskiy said Polish and Ukrainian nations were fighting together for freedom and an European future.
"Dear friends, allies and brothers. It is an honour for the leader of any country to be able to address Poles in such a way and I am proud that this kind of appeal is most justified when it comes from the state of Ukraine. Our nations have gone through a long way to reach the biggest agreement in history in the main matter for both Poles and Ukrainians, which is the matter of freedom," Ukrainian president said.
"Only together, we can protect the independence of our countries for future generations and we are really together as friends, as allies, as brothers. We are fighting together and we will for sure celebrate our and your victory in the battle for freedom and our common, European future. In the battles that are happening now in our lives," he stressed.
"Thank you for your historic support. I congratulate you on Polish Armed Forces Day and from the bottom of my heart, I wish the quickest victory. Glory to Poland, Glory to Ukraine!" Zelenskiy added.
In his address to Poles, Zaluzhnyi referred to the Battle of Warsaw, which helped save Europe from the invasion of Bolsheviks' Army.
"Dear brothers! On my behalf and on behalf of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, I congratulate you on the Polish Armed Forces Day. In the Warsaw Battle (from 1920), the Polish nation defended its statehood and saved Europe from the Bolsheviks' invasion. Ukrainian People's Republic was your ally in that battle," Zaluzhnyi said.
"Today, just like 102 years ago, we stand together against our common, centuries-old enemy. I am grateful to Poles for all the help and support in this difficult time. We fight for our and your freedom. We will win together!" - Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces Of Ukraine underscored.
"Dear Mr President @ZelenskyyUa! Thank you kindly for the beautiful wishes. Their form being so close to us makes us accept it not only as a gesture of friendship, but also as an act of brotherhood. We deeply believe that Ukraine, also thanks to the Polish-Ukrainian friendship, shall overcome evil," Polish President Andrzej Duda said in a tweet in a response to Zelenskiy's address.
Armed Forces Day is celebrated annually in Poland on 15 August. It commemorates the battle between Polish and Soviet troops that lasted almost two weeks in the summer of 1920, during the Polish-Soviet War.
As Soviet forces invaded Poland and approached Warsaw on Operation Vistula - named after the river behind which Polish forces were pushed back - the Polish army retreated westward and observers were predicting a decisive Soviet victory. But a counter-attack, which many considered miraculous given the Soviet Army's overwhelming military superiority, forced the Russians to withdraw and further Polish victories eventually crippled the Red Army.
It is known as the "Miracle on the Vistula" and celebrated in Poland as the victory of a small nation over a powerful enemy army.