EU’s Von der Leyen, Borrell say they are en route to Kyiv

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Friday that she was en route to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, along with the bloc’s diplomatic chief Josep Borrell.

“Looking forward to Kyiv,” Von der Leyen wrote on Twitter accompanied by a picture of her with Borrell and Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger. The EU foreign chief meanwhile wrote on the platform that he was, “going to Kyiv”.

Von der Leyen had announced the Friday trip earlier in the week saying that, “the Ukrainian people deserve our solidarity.”

“I want to send a very strong message of unwavering support to the Ukrainian people and their brave fight for our common values”.

They are to meet with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, before attending the Stand Up For Ukraine event in Warsaw on Saturday.

Their visit comes after one made last week by the speaker of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola — the first trip to Ukraine by the head of an EU institution since the war began.

The Czech, Polish and Slovenian prime ministers visited Kyiv on March 15, before Russian troops withdrew from around the capital, in the first trip by European Union leaders since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.