Ukraine’s integration into the EU and the economy are on the agenda Thursday in kyiv where European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is visiting for the third time since the start of the war.
“To kyiv for my third visit since the beginning of the Russian war,” she said on Twitter, adding that she will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmygal. According to her, the talks will focus on how to “bring our economies and people together as Ukraine moves towards accession” to the EU.
The Europeans had endorsed in June the candidacy of Ukraine, which aims to join the EU and NATO, to the great displeasure of Moscow which launched an invasion of the country on February 24. The West has adopted a series of sanctions against Russia in response while providing arms to kyiv, a crucial support which has enabled it to retake large territories from Russian forces in recent weeks.
However, Ukraine is also pleading for financial support, as its economy has collapsed with the war and the energy situation as winter approaches looks difficult in the regions affected by the fighting. Finance Minister Sergey Marchenko estimated in May that kyiv needed five billion dollars a month to cover its budget deficit.