Prolonged Ukraine Crisis... Three Eastern European Leaders Visit Kyiv, Biden to Head to EU Next Week

President Zelensky of Ukraine meets with the prime ministers of three Eastern European NATO member countries
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina, Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] As Russia's invasion of Ukraine surpasses 20 days with over 3 million refugees fleeing, the leaders of three European Union (EU) member countries?Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovenia?visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, declaring "Ukraine is a European country." U.S. President Joe Biden is also set to visit Europe next week for the first time since the Ukraine crisis, where he will discuss additional sanctions against Russia with EU and NATO leaders. This move aims to maintain unified responses among allies amid the prolonged crisis and to increase pressure on Russia.

According to the Associated Press (AP) and others on the 15th (local time), Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jan?a arrived in Kyiv after a 7-hour train journey from the Polish border and held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

This is the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 that Western heads of state have visited Kyiv to meet President Zelensky in person. President Zelensky posted a two-minute video of the meeting on his Telegram shortly after, expressing gratitude by saying, "The visit of the three leaders to Kyiv during this difficult time for Ukraine is a strong sign of support."

These three countries are both EU and NATO members. Unlike some European countries that view this visit negatively, fearing it might provoke Russia, these three nations have actively advocated for support within the EU. Prime Minister Jan?a explained the visit's purpose as "to send the message that Ukraine is a European country." However, the EU clarified that they are not an official delegation.

Notably, this visit took place amid President Zelensky's announcement that he would abandon Ukraine's NATO membership aspirations. Zelensky attended a NATO Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) leadership meeting via video conference on the same day, stating, "I recognize that NATO membership is not possible." This statement is interpreted as an effort to prevent further damage from the invasion and to advance peace negotiations with Russia.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) under the United Nations (UN), the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine has already exceeded 3 million. This is the largest refugee scale in Europe since World War II. Approximately 1.4 million, nearly half, are identified as children. The Washington Post (WP) reported, "Since the outbreak of the war, one child refugee has emerged every second," calling it "shocking." As the crisis prolongs, the burden of refugee reception and support within Europe is increasing, causing some divergence in the interests of various countries.

President Biden's decision to visit Europe on the 24th appears to be influenced by concerns that such reasons might weaken the unified and strong response among allied countries. Biden plans to attend NATO and EU summits scheduled in Brussels, Belgium, where he will discuss deterrence and defense efforts against Russia, sanctions on Russia, and support measures for Ukraine with allied leaders. This is expected to demonstrate the U.S.'s firm defense commitment and lead a unified Western movement on sanctions against Russia.

Whether President Biden will hold a meeting with President Zelensky remains undecided. Zelensky is scheduled to deliver a virtual speech to the U.S. Congress on the 16th.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced personal sanctions on 13 senior U.S. officials, including President Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, banning their entry into Russia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.