Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen spoke via phone on Monday in preparation for the Ukraine-EU summit scheduled to take place in Kyiv on February 3.

In his nightly video address to the nation, Zelensky described his hopes for the upcoming summit as a chance for both leaders “to outline the key new steps for this year for our common resilience, for our common victory.”

He also thanked the EU for its continuing support of humanitarian projects in Ukraine. Last November, von der Leyen announced plans for a EUR 18 billion program of macro-financial assistance from the EU to Ukraine, set to begin in 2023.

The program’s first tranche – roughly EUR 3 billion – is set to arrive in January, along with promised deliveries of school buses, generators, modular houses, and 15 million LED lamps financed by the European Commission.

During Monday’s call, von der Leyen reportedly emphasized the EU’s “unwavering solidarity with Ukraine,” offering assurances that the bloc would “stand with Ukraine in the struggle against the aggressor in 2023 as well, until Ukraine’s victory.”

Zelensky also briefed von der Leyen during the meeting on the progress made by Ukraine in implementing “the seven recommendations of the European Commission provided in the context of Ukraine’s acquisition of EU candidate status.”

Source: Radio Poland, PAP

Polish officials announced yesterday that both President Duda and Prime Minister Morawiecki plan to attend this week’s funeral of Pope Benedict.

After the Vatican announced Benedict’s passing on December 31, Duda post-humously praised Benedict on social media, calling him “one of the pre-eminent theologians of the 20th and 21st centuries.”

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also praised Benedict for working closely with his predecessor, the late Pope John Paul II, and for his “special” affinity to Poland.

“The spiritual and intellectual legacy of Pope Benedict XVI,” Morawiecki wrote, “will remain important to us forever.”

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 95. He will be laid to rest in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Thursday in a funeral led by Pope Francis.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland, PAP

Poland has topped CNN Travel’s list of the world’s “best destinations to visit” in 2023.

In addition to luxury accommodations like the gilded palatial Baroque ambiance of Hotel Verte in Warsaw, the CNN articles advocates travel to Poland as a way “to show solidarity with a country which has, in turn, shown solidarity to the people of Ukraine.”

Whether travelers fancy “a city break to the likes of Kraków, Gdańsk, Wrocław or Poznań…or to get away from it all in the forests, lakes, and mountains of the countryside,” author Julia Buckley explains, “now’s your chance to do some good by taking a vacation.”

The list of CNN’s recommended destinations for 2023 also includes Liverpool in the UK, the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, the Canadian capital of Ottowa, the Egyptian city of Cairo, Bogota in Colombia, Thessaloniki in Greece, and Charleston in the US state of South Carolina.

Source: Radio Poland, edition.cnn.com/travel

The Polish tennis team has progressed to the quarterfinals of the United Cup in Australia after beating Switzerland 3-2 to win the group stage.

With team scores tied at 1-1 after a win and a loss on Monday, world No. 10 Hubert Hurkacz earned an all-important second point for Poland yesterday after beating former Swiss Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka.

World No. 48 Magda Linette followed with a “heroic” win over world No. 35 Jil Teichmann (5-7, 6-4, 6-1), securing a place for the Polish team in the City Final in Brisbane.

With victory assured, Świątek and Hurkacz were replaced by Alicja Rosolska and Kacper Żuk for the final mixed-singles match, which the Swiss won comfortably in two sets (7-5, 6-2).

The Polish team is now set to face Italy in Brisbane today for a chance to compete in the United Cup semifinals scheduled for Friday in Sydney.

Source: Radio Poland, PAP, wtatennis.com

Weather

Today will be cloudy and cool, with a good chance of rain showers in the afternoon and a strong breeze coming in from the south. Temperatures will start out just above freezing at 1°C or 34°F before climbing to a high of 8°C, or 47°F in the late evening and overnight. Similar cool, wet weather, and more rain showers are expected tomorrow, with a chance for some snow on Friday.

Elizabeth Peck/pb