European Council President António Costa has arrived in Kiev on an official visit on Ukraine’s Independence Day. He was accompanied to the Ukrainian capital by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, and Estonian President Alar Karis. This was announced by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.
The visit takes place on August 24, the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s declaration of independence. For Burnham, this is his first foreign trip since taking office. The British Prime Minister is expected to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky and participate in events marking the anniversary.
Costa confirmed that he will take part in a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” in Kiev, scheduled for 13:00. The meeting is to be co-hosted by the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany. It will also be attended by representatives of Nordic and Baltic states, with some participants joining via video link.
Key topics are expected to include continued support for Ukraine, military cooperation, sanctions pressure on Russia, and possible security guarantees. The exact agenda and substance of any future decisions have not been fully disclosed in advance.
António Costa stated that Ukraine’s future within the European Union is an important guarantee of its security. He also reaffirmed the EU’s readiness to continue supporting Kiev and to increase sanctions pressure on Moscow.
