European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen visited Ukraine on Saturday for discussions with President Volodymyr Zelensky about his country’s bid to join the continental bloc. Kyiv has been pushing for rapid admission to the European Union.
Officials have, however, cautioned that the road to membership is a long one, which can take decades.
Ukraine sees the prospect of joining the EU as a way of reducing its geopolitical vulnerability, which has been exposed by Russia’s invasion.
“With President Zelensky I will take stock of the joint work needed for reconstruction and of the progress made by Ukraine on its European path,” von der Leyen tweeted on arrival in Kyiv.
She told journalists that the discussions “will feed into our assessment” of Ukraine’s readiness to be considered a candidate country to begin lengthy negotiations, including needed reforms.
That assessment by her commission will be presented soon, she said, without given any timeframe. EU commissioners and officials are expected to examine Ukraine’s bid next week, ahead of a summit later this month.
Von der Leyen’s trip to Kyiv is her second since the Russian invasion in February.
Credit: rfi
