From the Dnieper Shahin began a correspondence with the Poles. He asked for 12000 Cossacks to reconquer Crimea. In return he promised that Crimean raids on Polish territory would stop. The Poles gave him much support, but kept it secret, fearing an open break with Turkey. They planned to claim that the Cossacks were acting on their own. The Cossacks were happy since recent experience made Crimea look like an easy target. About this time Mehmed appeared in the Cossack camp. He had slipped out of the mountains, crossed Crimea undetected and reached the steppe.
