Leaders of the three major EU countries are expected to comment on the launch of Ukraine’s EU membership process.
German Chancellor Olaf ScholzPresident of France Emmanuel Macron and the Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi arrived in Kiev on Thursday morning.
Macron confirmed to the media on arrival that they will meet with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
The most anticipated theme of the visit is the discussion on Ukraine’s possible EU membership. Ukraine has also asked the West for more aid to counter Russia’s progress in eastern Ukraine.
The leaders of Germany, France and Italy are in Ukraine for the first time since the war of aggression launched by Russia in February.
In the past, the world’s prime minister, for example, has visited Ukraine Boris JohnsonUnited States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and most recently the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
There had been rumors of a visit to Ukraine by leaders of three major EU countries in recent days, but the exact timing of the trip was kept secret until the last minute.
The trio traveled to Ukraine by night train from Poland and arrived in Kiev early on Thursday morning. The reason for traveling by train is that the airspace in Ukraine is considered too dangerous.
Is Ukraine in favor of membership?
The simultaneous visit of the leaders of the three major EU countries raises expectations in Ukraine about the country’s prospect of membership of the European Union.
Ukraine began the process of EU membership in February, four days after the Russian invasion.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Ukraine last Saturday, commenting that the Commission will complete its reflection on whether Ukraine should become a candidate for EU membership within a week.
Ukraine’s EU membership is at the forefront of the pre-Midsummer EU summit, which is why the comments of the leaders of the three big EU countries are receiving a great deal of attention today.
In May, French President Macron commented that Ukraine’s membership talks could take years, or even decades. He vaguely suggested that Ukraine could be included in the “parallel European community” for that time.
On Thursday, after arriving in Kiev, President Macron commented that the meeting with Zelensky was an “important moment” and that he intended to reassure “European solidarity” to the President of Ukraine.
France will hold the presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2022, which is why Macron’s comments are being followed very closely.
Ukraine has requested significantly more arms assistance
The trip of German, French and Italian leaders to Kiev coincides with a week in which Ukraine’s calls for more arms aid have increased as Russian troops have advanced in eastern Ukraine and taken control of the city center of Severodonetsk.
President of the United States Joe Biden said on Wednesday it would send Ukraine a new billion-dollar weapons package. In addition, Biden announced that the United States will send a $ 225 million humanitarian aid package.
Ukraine has repeatedly asked the major European countries – especially Germany – for more arms assistance.
German Chancellor Scholz raised expectations for the visit, commenting earlier that if he travels to Ukraine, he will not do so to pose in photographs but only for a significant matter.