Strengthening Ukrainian army is in Europe's interests - Polish official

WARSAW (Reuters) - The head of Poland's National Security Council said on Thursday that it was in the interests of Europe, Poland and Ukraine to strengthen the Ukrainian armed forces as this would help to de-escalate the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

"We completely share the view that the stronger the Ukrainian army, the bigger the chances of slowing down the escalation of the conflict," Stanislaw Koziej said after a meeting with Olexander Turchinov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council.

"Hence it is in the interests of Europe, Poland and Ukraine to strengthen and additionally arm the Ukrainian army," said Koziej, who is also an adviser to Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski.

(Reporting by Wiktor Szary; Writing by Marcin Goettig; Editing by Kevin Liffey)