Leopolis (EFE) .- The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and fifteen members of its Executive, including the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, arrived in kyiv on Thursday to “demonstrate that the EU supports Ukraine as firmly as ever.”
“It’s good to be back in kyiv, my fourth time since the invasion of Russia. This time, with my team of curators. We are here together to show that the EU supports Ukraine as firmly as ever and further deepen our support and cooperation,” Von der Leyen said on his official Twitter account.
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, will join tomorrow for a summit between the EU and Ukraine.
Today’s visit to kyiv by the College of Commissioners is “a strong symbol of the Commission’s support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression,” the Community Executive said in a statement.
“The meeting between the Commission and the Ukrainian government will be an opportunity to exchange views on the many areas of cooperation between the EU and Ukraine, and discuss the upcoming reconstruction, as well as the country’s European path. It is also an opportunity to further deepen cooperation with Ukraine,” according to Brussels.
First EU meeting in a country at war
In addition to Borrell, who also accompanied von der Leyen on his first trip to kyiv last spring, after the invasion of Ukraine, two executive vice presidents Margrethe Vestager (Competition and Digital) and Valdis Dombrovskis (Economics) traveled to the Ukrainian capital today and Commerce).
Also part of the delegation are Vice Presidents Maroš Šefčovič (Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight), Věra Jourová (Values and Transparency) and Margaritis Schinas (Promotion of the European Lifestyle).
The nine commissioners completing the group are Nicolas Schmit (Employment and Social Rights), Paolo Gentiloni (Economy), Janusz Wojciechowski (Agriculture), Didier Reynders (Justice), Ylva Johansson (Interior), Janez Lenarčič (Crisis Management), Oliver Várhelyi (Neighborhood and Expansion), Virginijus Sinkevičius (Environment) and Mairead McGuinness (Financial Services).
All of them will participate in kyiv in the first meeting in the history of the Community Executive to be held in a country at war, in a day with a more symbolic than practical nature, since great advances are not expected in the relationship between the EU and Ukraine .
Taking into account the security conditions, most of the members of the Commission will begin their return trip to Brussels today, with the exception of von der Leyen, who will meet with Michel and the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky, on Friday to celebrate the 24th summit between the EU and Ukraine.
