EU leaders will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Friday, pledging new sanctions against Russia but dashing Ukraine’s hopes for speedy EU membership.
The head of the group’s executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, arrived in Kyiv by train on Thursday, a symbolic visit to demonstrate support for Ukraine as the first anniversary of Russia’s February 24, 2022, invasion of its neighbor approaches.
Senior members of the EU executive met their counterparts in the Ukrainian government, and von der Leyen and the president of the 27 EU national leaders, Charles Michel, will hold talks with Zelensky on Friday.
Zelensky called for more punitive measures against Russia by the EU, but the new sanctions preparing for the anniversary fall short of the Kyiv government’s demands.
“Today … we have reached a very important mutual understanding,” Zelensky said in his video address on Thursday night. “Only together – a strong Ukraine and a strong European Union – can we defend the life we value, and through our further integration, fight for our people regardless of the obstacles and threats Provides energy and inspiration.”
While the EU supports Ukraine and supports democratic and economic reforms there, it is not prepared to accept a country at war and in any case the process takes years. Croatia was the last country to join the EU in 2013, a decade after formally applying. Ukraine’s neighbor Poland took 20 years to join in 2004.
Ukraine applied to join shortly after the invasion and received formal candidate status from the European Union in June.
The United States and its Western allies pledged in January to deliver more weapons to Ukraine.