EU commission president in Kiev to discuss Ukraine’s accession
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made a surprise visit to Kiev to discuss Ukraine’s membership in the EU with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid the country’s ongoing war with Russia.
Von der Leyen announced her visit in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday.
She noted that her aim for the visit is to “discuss Ukraine’s accession path” to the EU as well as the bloc’s financial support for the country.
“I’m here to discuss Ukraine’s accession path to the EU, the EU’s financial support to rebuild Ukraine as a modern, prosperous democracy, and how we will continue to make Russia pay for its war of aggression,” she added.
The visit comes ahead of a report due next week that will detail Ukraine’s accession progress in which von der Leyen has stated that the enlargement package, financial and military support, and the 12th sanctions package will be at the top of the agenda.
“Of course, the enlargement package will be at the top of the agenda, but also the financial and military support,” von der Leyen told reporters earlier.
“The 12th sanctions package as well, so a whole basket of issues we have to discuss. And the most important message is reassuring that we stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
Ukraine applied to join the European Union days after the start of the war with Russia in February 2022.
However, the EU conditioned Ukraine’s accession to the latter’s stemming widespread corruption, reforming its judiciary so it is free from political meddling, and strengthening its economy.
The sheer range of the conditions that were listed in the litany of the so-called reforms that were required by the bloc was expected to cause the accession process to drag on for years.
The EU has imposed more than 10 rounds of sanctions on Russia since the beginning of the Ukrainian war on February 24, 2022, with banks, companies and markets being hit, as well as parts of the sensitive energy sector, along with more than 1,000 officials subjected to asset freezes and travel bans.
The 27-nation bloc has already committed above 30 billion Euros from its budget to support Ukraine.
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