Kiev, July 10 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his visiting Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda attended a church service in the northwestern city of Lutsk.

On Sunday, Zelensky and Duda stood in front of the church to exchange greetings and share an embrace in a televised event.

In a tweet, the Polish leader said: "Together we pay tribute to all the innocent victims of Volhynia! Memory connects us! Together we are stronger."

Lutsk is in the far west of Ukraine, close to the border with Poland.

After the church visit, the two leaders also held a meeting.

“Andrzej Duda and I had a brief but very substantive discussion about the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius. We agreed to work together to get the best possible result for Ukraine,” Zelensky tweeted following the discussion. 

On his part, the Polish President said the meeting with Zelensky was "a testimony of friendship in the face of a difficult history, but also to hold final consultations before the NATO summit in Vilnius, which begins in two days". 

"Effective support for Ukraine in its pursuit of membership in the alliance is very important for Poland," he said in a tweet.

Poland is one of Ukraine's closest allies, often leading the way in urging members of the NATO military alliance to send more supplies to the war-torn nation. 

More than 12 million Ukrainians have crossed the border into Poland since February 2022, according to UN data.