Ukraine: Von der Leyen visits Kyiv to mark Europe Day

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen marked Europe Day in Ukraine's capital Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"Ukraine has been fighting for the ideals of Europe that we celebrate today to create lasting unity and peace," von der Leyen said.

She said her trip ynderlined the European Union's support for Kyiv as Russian continued it war in Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian leader said they discussed European integration, defence matters and sanctions against Russia.

"Our efforts for a united Europe, for security and peace, need to be as strong as Russia's desire to destroy our security, our freedom, our Europe," Zelenskyy told a joint news conference.

Von der Leyen's visit came as a fresh wave of Russian air strikes targeted the Ukrainian capital overnight. Authorities said air defenses had shot down 23 out of 25 missiles fired chiefly at Kyiv, with no reported casualties.

Zelenskyy urges EU to speed up ammunition deliveries

During their meeting Zelenskyy urged the EU to speed up ammunition deliveries.

"We discussed a key issue, the speed of procurement and delivery of these munitions. The need for them on the battlefield is already present," Zelenskyy said.

EU lawmakers on Tuesday voted to speed up consideration of a law to boost ammunition production in Europe to the tune of €500 million ($550 million).

The decision should see the new legislation, termed the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), in place by the end of the year.

Von der Leyen said the ASAP law "will help member states to ramp up the production... and speed up the delivery of ammunition to meet Ukraine's and member states' needs."

Brussels has so far provided military, financial and humanitarian support to Kyiv worth €67 billion ($75 billion), with work being under way on a new set of economic sanctions on Russia.

EU accession

Zelenskyy again stressed his country's desire to join the EU, "the time has come to remove the artificial political uncertainty in the relations between Ukraine and the EU."

"The time has come to take a positive decision on the opening of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU," he added.

Last year, in the wake of the Russian invasion, Ukraine applied for and received EU candidate status. When accession talks will or can begin remains unclear.

Von der Leyen acknowledged that it was "impressive to see that despite a full blown war, Ukraine is working hard, tirelessly and intensively."

"A lot of progress has been made, but work has to continue," von der Leyen said.

Why is von der Leyen's trip to Kyiv on Europe Day important?

Each year, the European Union  celebrates peace and unity in Europe on May 9.

Von der Leyen told reporters on her train from Poland to Kyiv, that she welcomed Zelenskyy's decree on Monday that Ukraine would also observe Europe Day this year.

"My presence in Kyiv today on May 9 is symbolic, but it is also the sign of a crucial and very practical reality: the EU is working hand in hand with Ukraine on many issues."

Ukraine moved forward its commemoration of the end of World War II in Europe from May 9 to May 8, in line with many other European countries, in order to avoid celebrating the historic military victory on the same day as Russia.

Upon her arrival, von der Leyen visited an exhibition displaying destroyed Russian military vehicles and paid her respects to fallen Ukrainian soldiers at the Wall of Remembrance. 

"Good to be back in Kyiv," she posted on Twitter. "Where the values we hold dear are defended everyday."

This was von der Leyen's fifth trip to Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

lo,mfo/rt (dpa, AFP, Reuters)