"Clear message"

New EU leaders assure Ukraine of support

First day in office: Kaja Kallas (left) and António Costa (right) want to continue to offer support in the face of the Russian war of aggression at the meeting with Ukrainian President Selensky.

(Bild: AFP)

The situation on the front in Ukraine continues to escalate. The Russians are gaining more and more ground. The new EU leaders are now traveling to Kiev for a solidarity visit on their first day in office. Kallas and Costa appeal to the future US President Donald Trump.

The EU's new foreign policy leaders have arrived in the Ukrainian capital Kiev for a highly symbolic visit just a few hours after taking office.

EU Council President António Costa and chief diplomat Kaja Kallas want to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and assure him of their support in the face of the ongoing Russian war of aggression.

"We have come to send a clear message: We stand behind Ukraine and will continue our support for Ukraine without reservation," said the former Portuguese head of government Costa at the start of the visit. This includes humanitarian, financial, military and diplomatic aid.

In addition to the current situation, one topic of the talks will also be the common European future with the planned integration of Ukraine into the EU.

Shortly before midnight, 63-year-old Costa had officially taken over as President of the European Council, the body of heads of state and government of the EU member states. This position had previously been held for five years by the Belgian Charles Michel.

At the same time, the former Estonian head of government Kallas took over from the Spaniard Josep Borrell as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs. Both positions were reassigned after the European elections in June.

Russian territorial gains in eastern Ukraine
The visit of the two EU leaders comes at a particularly difficult time for Ukraine. Russian forces have recently made significant territorial gains in the east of the country.

At the same time, there is uncertainty as to whether the USA will continue its support in its current form under Donald Trump. If this is not the case, European states would have to significantly increase their military aid in order to enable Ukraine to continue its defensive campaign.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kallas said on the sidelines of the trip to Kiev that it was crucial for Ukraine that Europe showed that it stood by its side. The situation on the battlefield in Ukraine is "very, very serious".