KYIV: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made her way to Kyiv on Saturday ahead of a report the European Union is expected to present next week about Ukraine’s progress in its membership bid, a Ukrainian lawmaker said.
Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a member of parliament, said on his Telegram channel that von der Leyen was expected to address the Ukrainian parliament.
The European Union’s assessment due on Wednesday is expected to detail how far Ukraine has advanced in meeting various legal, economic, and other criteria to clear the way for accession negotiations to be launched in December.
Ukraine, which applied to join the European Union days after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, views joining the trade bloc as a high-priority goal.
The EU’s 27 members are due at a summit in December to determine whether to allow Kyiv to begin accession negotiations, a move requiring unanimous support from all member countries.
Ukraine’s bid got a boost on Thursday when German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated that she was confident the bloc would advance Ukraine’s application next month.
Membership negotiations span several years and involve extensive legal, political and economic reform. Ukraine’s case is made much more complicated by the ongoing conflict in its southern and eastern regions with no end in sight.
Von der Leyen’s visit takes place at a challenging moment for Ukraine as its troops battle fatigue and concerns swirl over the future of vital US military assistance which Kyiv relies on heavily. She is likely to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
