A promise made to Ukraine to continue resisting Russia’s large-scale invasion that has lasted more than four years.
Ukraine’s sovereignty was threatened when Russian forces occupied Crimea in 2014 and Moscow illegally annexed the peninsula. After eight years, in February 2022, a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Statehood Day, dedicated to the country’s determination, is a public holiday in Ukraine.
The war has claimed the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians, forced millions to leave their homes, turned Ukrainian cities into ruins, and fueled fears that the confrontation could escalate into an open conflict between Russia and NATO, whose member states support Kyiv. A peace agreement is not yet in sight.
On Wednesday, high-ranking officials from Southeast European countries were also expected in Kyiv for a periodic meeting dedicated to the security of the Black Sea and the region. Last year, such a meeting in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa confirmed the countries’ support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently received important promises of further support, including from the Group of Seven (G7) countries and the so-called coalition of the willing.
“The situation is changing”
U. von der Leyen recalled that this is her 11th visit to the Ukrainian capital during the war.
Europe is closely monitoring Russia’s broader intentions on the continent and has already provided Ukraine with billions of euros and diplomatic support.
According to U. von der Leyen, she will announce new steps to integrate the European and Ukrainian defense industries, as well as new assistance to prepare Ukraine’s air defense for winter, when Russia typically tries to destroy the Ukrainian energy system.
The EC President also announced an agreement with Ukraine on drones, aimed at promoting joint production of this critically important battlefield technology.
“This agreement will combine Ukraine’s ingenuity and the scale of European industry,” U. von der Leyen said in Kyiv, receiving an award from President V. Zelensky.
Her visit took place amid Western officials and analysts stating that increasingly frequent and precise Ukrainian drone and missile attacks are damaging important targets deep within Russian territory, severely disrupting Russian military supply lines and causing fuel shortages for civilians.
“This is a special moment,” U. von der Leyen wrote on social media about her visit. “Ukraine has created a strong military momentum. The situation is changing.”
Meanwhile, pro-Moscow Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is participating in the Southeast European summit in Kyiv.
Serbia, whose energy supply is almost entirely dependent on Russia, has refused to join Western sanctions against Moscow imposed after its invasion, although it officially supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
At least 8 civilians killed in Russian attacks in Ukraine
Ukrainian officials reported on Wednesday that at least eight civilians were killed and 11 others injured during Russian airstrikes.
Russian forces dropped six powerful glide bombs, mostly targeting infrastructure in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, where three people were killed and seven others injured, said the head of the regional military administration, Oleh Hryhorov.
Three people were killed and three others injured during a Russian attack in Odesa, reported the city’s military administration head, Serhiy Lysak.
Additionally, in Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region, two people were killed and an 18-year-old was seriously injured during Russian drone attacks, said the head of the regional military administration, Viacheslav Chaus.
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense intercepted 93 Ukrainian drones last night over several Russian regions, as well as over the Crimea, Azov, and Black Seas.
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