On the First Day of the EU Leadership, a Trip to Ukraine... Reaffirming a Firm Position of Support

[Image source=Ant?nio Costa, President of the European Council SNS]

Senior European Union (EU) officials made a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, on the first day of the new leadership's term on the 1st (local time). This move is analyzed as an intention by the EU to express firm support for Ukraine ahead of the inauguration of the second Trump administration.

According to the EU, Ant?nio Costa, President of the European Council, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, and Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Oliv?r V?rhelyi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv that day. EU officials discussed ways to expand EU support to enable Ukraine to defend itself.

President Zelensky requested the EU's support for Ukraine's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the expanded use of long-range weapons provided by the West. He said that the first step in the NATO accession process, the 'membership invitation,' is "necessary for our survival," adding, "We must become stronger before negotiating with Russia." He also demanded that the EU allow greater use of long-range weapons, stating, "To become stronger, NATO must guarantee our security, and we need more weapons."

The visit by senior EU officials to Ukraine came amid growing uncertainty over the United States' policy toward Ukraine ahead of the inauguration of the second Trump administration next month. The meeting between high-ranking EU representatives and President Zelensky on the first day of their term is interpreted as a message from the European camp to Trump, who has expressed skepticism about supporting Ukraine and has pledged a swift end to the conflict through negotiations with Russia. President Costa represents the positions of the 27 EU member states externally, High Representative Borrell serves as the equivalent of a foreign minister, and Commissioner V?rhelyi, also a ministerial-level official, oversees accession-related matters for new EU member states, including Ukraine, within the European Commission, the EU's executive body.

After the meeting with President Zelensky, President Costa emphasized at a joint press conference, "We have stood with Ukraine since the first day of Russia's invasion and will continue to stand with them." High Representative Borrell stated, "The EU must persuade Trump that engaging in 'transactional language' and abandoning Ukraine would harm U.S. interests." He added, "There have been several ceasefires between 2014 and 2022, but what we have seen is that Russia did not respect the ceasefire terms and waged more war," warning that "if Russia wins the (Russia-Ukraine) war, China, North Korea, and Iran will be emboldened."

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