EU accession candidate Ukraine is today hosting a summit with European representatives, „a powerful symbol”, according to the Commission, for the support the 27 „in the face of unjustified aggression” of Russia. The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv on Thursday together with the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and around 15 European commissioners. The president of the European Council Charles Michel is also expected, for talks aiming mainly at the steps towards the accession of Ukraine to the European Union, a difficult process which Kyiv wants to speed up. Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said his country deserved to start accession talks this year, but some EU leaders believe the accession process may take decades. Ukraine is in any case to receive substantial support from the European Union. A first meeting between Ursula von der Leyen and Volodymyr Zelensky already ended with optimistic statements. The good news announced by the European Commission president refers to Ukraine’s accession to a number of European programmes and a proposal to extend a waiver on customs duties on all Ukrainian exports for another year. Moreover, Ukraine will soon be able to apply for funding for various types of projects and a 15-point action plan was agreed for Ukraine’s access to the European single market.
