The president of the European ComissionUrsula Von der Leyen, arrived this Tuesday at kyiv for a “symbolic” visit to coincide with the europe day and “very practical” to “prepare the ground” with the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, for the start of accession negotiations and talk about the “strict” application of sanctions against Russia, among other issues.
“My presence in kyiv today, May 9, is symbolic, but also is the sign of a crucial reality and very practical: the EU works hand in hand with Ukraine on many issues,” Von der Leyen said on the train that took her to kyiv.
It’s about the fifth visit that the head of the European Executive has carried out Ukraine since the Russian invasion of February 24, 2022 and coincides with Europe Day; holiday of the European Union Starting this year, the Ukrainian authorities will celebrate every May 9, thus turning its back on the Soviet tradition of commemorating Victory Day against Nazism.
In his Twitter account, Von der Leyen stated that “it is good to be back in kyiv, where the values we hold dear are upheld every day”, For this reason, he considered that it is “such an appropriate place to celebrate Europe Day”.
Among the issues that Von Der Leyen plans to address with Zelensky and other Ukrainian authorities is “preparing the ground for the start of accession negotiations,” the head of the Community Executive highlighted to the European Newsroom.
The European Commission must prepare a preliminary report in summer on the progress that kyiv is carrying out in the reforms that it requires Brussels before accession negotiations can be launched, and, in December, a second, more comprehensive analysis.
Other topics to deal with
“We continue to increase the pressure on Russia. It is one of the points that I will report to President Zelensky on,” Von der Leyen added.
And he specified: “Now we focus on the strict application of sanctions and on taking measures to prevent them from being circumvented. We are determined to fill the existing gaps. Let no one doubt it,” said the community leader about what would be the eleventh package of restrictive measures against Moscow since he attacked Kiev, still in the negotiation phase.
Other “key issues” that von der Leyen plans to address with the Ukrainian leadership range “from the delivery of ammunition and significant financial support, to ensuring Russia’s accountability for its crime of aggression,” she herself advanced.
The Twenty-seven have promised to give one million shells to Ukraine in the next 12 months, which the EU will co-finance with a total of 2,000 million euros.
Of these, 1,000 million will be used to finance shipments of weapons that the EU countries currently have in their reserves and the other 1,000 million will be for encourage the joint purchase of missiles and ammunition to send to Ukraine.
On financial support to Ukraine, the country transferred at the end of April to the European Union that it will need in 2024 at least 18,000 million euros in macro-financial aid, the same amount that the Twenty-seven will disburse this year, and called to begin the reconstruction of the country before the end of the war.
The EU has yet to decide how to finance a future macro-financial aid package, a negotiation that will be one of the most relevant of the Spanish presidency of the EU in the second half of the year.
Regarding accountability, Zelensky claimed last week in Hague the creation of a special court “to punish the crimes of Russian aggression” and specifically against President Vladimir Putin, after visiting the headquarters of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Dutch capital.
(With information from EFE)
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Source-www.infobae.com