Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a significant meeting with top European Union officials, including European Council President António Costa, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos. This meeting marked their first official visit to Ukraine, underscoring Europe's commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and its integration into the European Union, reads an IEU Monitoring post.
During the discussions, Zelenskyy on Sunday (local time) emphasized the urgency of ending Russia's war of aggression, not only for Ukraine but for the entire European continent. He reiterated Ukraine’s determination to strengthen its air defense, a key topic of the meeting, and highlighted the need for additional support in bolstering the nation's air shield. Zelenskyy also outlined Ukraine’s plans to enhance its defense industry, including increasing weapons procurement from local manufacturers, funded in part by revenues from frozen Russian assets.
The leaders also discussed Ukraine’s EU membership aspirations, with Costa pledging Europe’s full support for Ukraine’s accession process. Costa praised Ukraine’s reform progress under wartime conditions, noting that Ukrainians are setting a global example of resilience and commitment to democratic principles.
In a show of solidarity, Costa condemned Russia’s nuclear threats and attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. He confirmed that the EU would continue to provide both humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine, with an additional €4.2 billion in financial support coming this month and ongoing monthly disbursements of €1.5 billion starting next year.
Both Costa and Zelenskyy stressed the importance of advancing EU accession talks, with the goal of opening the first two negotiation clusters in early 2024. Costa also highlighted the EU's plans to impose further sanctions on Russia to weaken its war capabilities.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
