The EU is preparing for a potential visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy to its headquarters at Brussels on Thursday to meet the bloc's leaders and address parliament, officials said Monday, reports AFP.
If it goes ahead, the visit would be the first made by Zelensky to the seat of the EU since Russia invaded his
country almost one year ago.
The Ukrainian leader has so far made one only trip abroad since Moscow launched its all-out assault on February 24, visiting Washington in December.
A source at the European parliament said there was the "likelihood of an extraordinary Plenary Session on Thursday, February 9 with the presence of Volodymyr Zelensky."
The leaders of the 27 EU member states will be in Brussels on Thursday for a planned summit.
A spokesman for European Council chief Charles Michel, who organises EU summits, said only that "there is an open invitation to president Zelensky to visit Brussels".
Officials said there was no final confirmation Zelensky would come and that his potential arrival was being kept under tight wraps due to security concerns.
The Ukrainian presidency did not confirm the visit.
Last week, Zelensky met top EU officials in Kyiv to push the bloc to speed up Ukraine's bid to join.
The EU has committed tens of billions of euros towards helping Ukraine withstand the Russian onslaught.
Zelensky has warned that Ukrainian forces are facing an increasingly difficult fight in the east of the country as Russia seeks to claim more territory in its grinding offensive.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
