Top EU official visits Ukraine and pledges continued support against Russia's invasion

KYIV, Ukraine, July 16 ------ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen went to Kyiv to mark Ukraine's annual Statehood Day, pledging continued military and financial support for the country's independence as it holds out against Russia's 4-year-old full-scale invasion.

Ukraine's sovereignty has been threatened since Russian forces occupied Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 and Moscow illegally annexed the peninsula, followed eight years later by the all-out invasion of February 2022. Statehood Day, celebrating the country's self-determination, is a public holiday in Ukraine. The war has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians, forced millions to flee their homes, reduced Ukrainian cities to rubble and fueled fears the confrontation could slide into an open conflict between Russia and NATO, whose member nations have supported Kyiv. No peace settlement is in sight.

Senior officials from southeastern European countries also were expected in Kyiv on Wednesday for a periodic gathering focused on Black Sea and regional security. Last year's meeting in the southern Ukraine city of Odesa reaffirmed the countries' support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has recently won important pledges of further support, including from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations and the so-called Coalition of the Willing countries.

Top EU official says 'tide is turning' in the war

Von der Leyen, the European Union's top official, said her trip to the Ukrainian capital was her 11th in wartime. Europe is watchful of Russia's broader intentions on the continent and has provided billions of euros (dollars) to Ukraine as well as diplomatic support.

Von der Leyen said she would announce new steps toward integrating the European and Ukrainian defense industries as well as providing new help to prepare Ukrainian air defenses for next winter, when Russia usually tries to knock out the power.

Her visit came as Western officials and analysts say Ukraine's increasingly frequent and accurate drone and missile attacks are hitting high-profile targets deep inside Russia, severely disrupting the Russian army's supply lines and causing civilian fuel shortages. "It's a special moment," Von der Leyen said of her visit on social media. "Ukraine has built a strong military momentum. The tide is turning."

Meanwhile, Serbia's Moscow-friendly president, Aleksandar Vucic, was taking part in the Southeast Europe Summit in Kyiv. Serbia, which relies almost fully on Russia for its energy supplies, has refused to join Western sanctions on Moscow that were imposed after its invasion, although it officially supports Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Source: mb.com.ph