Ukraine: 3 dead as Russia intensifies attacks on Odesa
A blue sky with light clouds hung over Kyiv this morning as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stepped off an overnight train at
A blue sky with light clouds hung over Kyiv this morning as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stepped off an overnight train at the city's central railway station. She was welcomed with flowers by Andriy Sybiha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, before beginning a packed day. Von der Leyen arrives in a city that has been under some of the heaviest Russian bombardments in recent days.
Residential buildings have been hit, fires have broken out across the capital, and civilians have been killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to present von der Leyen with the Order of Europe, a distinction recently established by the president as part of Ukraine's Constitution Day commemorations. The award recognizes outstanding personal contributions to supporting Ukraine’s strategic course toward full membership in the European Union.
The entire visit appears to be shaped by one central theme: the growing integration of Ukraine and the European Union. As Kyiv continues its push toward EU membership, Brussels has responded with the opening of the second negotiation cluster steps in the accession process. Several EU member states insist that accession rules must be applied strictly. In particular, concerns remain over corruption and the implementation of rule-of-law reforms.
Still, the political message from von der Leyen is expected to repeat what she said during her first visit shortly after the start of the war, that "Ukraine belongs to the European family."
The BriefWire