European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Kyiv for her second visit this year, meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to further strengthen defense cooperation between the European Union and Ukraine. A primary objective of the visit is to discuss the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, as both sides look to leverage Europe's industrial scale alongside Ukrainian technological ingenuity to address the ongoing war.
The visit follows a significant shift in the operational climate compared to her previous trip in late February. At that time, Ukraine was contending with a harsh winter, widespread power blackouts caused by Russian strikes, a stalled accession process, and a then-blocked €90 billion support loan. Today, the situation has evolved; the support loan is now active, and the EU accession process has moved forward, with Ukraine opening another cluster of negotiations on Tuesday.
Upon her arrival, von der Leyen remarked on the changing nature of the conflict, stating that Ukraine has established strong military momentum and that the tide is turning. She highlighted the success of Ukrainian long-range strikes against remote Russian oil refineries, which have disrupted Moscow's economy by triggering a fuel crisis. Regarding the new initiatives, she noted that the EU is committed to its financial support and plans to deepen the integration of defense industries between the two parties.
In addition to her bilateral meetings, von der Leyen is scheduled to participate in the 5th edition of the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit. The event will include leaders from Croatia, Moldova, and Romania, among others, as part of the broader diplomatic effort to sustain support for Kyiv.
