Poland on Tuesday called for a NATO peace mission protected by armed forces to help Ukraine.

Deputy Premier Jaroslaw Kaczynski emphasised during his visit to Kyiv. that the Alliance's mission cannot be unarmed.

It must seek to provide humanitarian and peaceful aid to Ukraine, he explained.

Mr. Kaczynski, along with the Polish, Czech and Slovenian prime ministers, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmygal.

It is the first visit to Kyiv by foreign leaders since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.

We need a peacekeeping mission from NATO, or even possibly from a larger international structure, but a mission that will be able to defend itself and that will operate on Ukrainian territory, which will be in this country with the agreement of the president and the government of Ukraine and it will not be a defenceless mission, Mr. Kaczynski said.

It "will strive for peace, to provide humanitarian aid, but at the same time it will be protected by appropriate forces, armed forces," added Kaczynski, who is also the leader of the ruling conservative party in Poland and is considered the main strategist of government policy.