European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described Ukraine as “the beating heart of today’s European values” in a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday as Russia marked its World War II Victory Day.
Von der Leyen’s trip underlined the European Union’s support for Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over a military parade on Moscow’s Red Square and portrayed his own country as under attack by the West as war rages on in Ukraine for the 15th month.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he and von der Leyen had discussed defence matters, sanctions on Russia and Ukraine’s integration with the European Union.
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“Our efforts for a united Europe, for security and peace, need to be as strong as Russia’s desire to destroy our security, our freedom, our Europe,” he told a joint news conference.
He also highlighted Russia’s military failures in Ukraine by saying Russian forces had not managed to achieve the goal of capturing the eastern city of Bakhmut before the May 9 holiday, when Russia celebrates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
Von der Leyen’s trip fell on the day the EU celebrates as Europe Day, which Ukraine adopted as its own on Monday, underlining its ambition to join Western institutions after applying to join the EU last year following Russia’s invasion.
Von der Leyen, who arrived in Kyiv after a night of reported Russian air strikes, welcomed Zelensky’s decision on adopting Europe Day.
“Good to be back in Kyiv. Where the values we hold dear are defended everyday,” von der Leyen, who heads the EU executive, wrote on Twitter.
“Ukraine is on the front line of the defence of everything we Europeans cherish: our liberty, our democracy, our freedom of thought and speech. Courageously, Ukraine is fighting for the ideals of Europe that we celebrate today.”
Zelenskiy said he expected an 11th package of EU sanctions to be imposed on Russia soon and that it should include powerful sanctions on Russia’s atomic sector.
He said he expected an EU summit in June to yield a positive appraisal of Ukraine’s integration process.
“Our values, security, our wellbeing, security on the continent — all of this can be 100% realised for Europe only together with Ukraine,” he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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