The president of the European Council, António Costa, and Kaja Kallas, head of foreign policy at the European Union, arrived in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, this Sunday (1st), using their first day in their new positions to send a message of support to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
The visit comes as Ukraine struggles to defend itself from a Russian offensive and faces uncertain US policy toward Kiev when Donald Trump takes office next month.
“From the first day of the war, the EU has stood by Ukraine,” Costa posted on X alongside an image of himself, Kallas and EU enlargement chief Marta Kos arriving by train.
“From the first day of our term, we have been reaffirming our unwavering support for the Ukrainian people,” he added.
Both Kallas and Costa have been strong supporters of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
However, neither could make specific promises of more aid, requiring support from EU national governments.
The EU says its institutions and member states have made about $133 billion in aid available to Ukraine since the start of the war, but future support remains uncertain, especially if Trump scales back U.S. support.
Trump criticized the scale of aid sent to Kiev and said he would seek a quick end to the war, but without specifying exactly how.
Overland, Moscow’s troops are capturing village after village in a bid to eventually take over the industrial region of Donbass, while Russian airstrikes are targeting Ukraine’s struggling power grid as winter approaches.
“On my first visit since taking office, my message is clear: the European Union wants Ukraine to win this war,” Kallas wrote in X. “We will do whatever it takes to do so.”
As prime minister of Estonia, which borders Russia, Kallas has emerged as one of Russia’s most vocal critics.
Moscow this year placed her on a wanted list for destroying Soviet-era monuments.
Costa, former prime minister of Portugal, is tasked with coordinating the work of the European Union’s national leaders and presiding over their summits as president of the European Council.
At a ceremony in Brussels on Friday, he said everyone longed for peace after more than 1,000 days of war between Ukraine and Russia, “especially the combative and heroic Ukrainian people.”
“Peace cannot mean capitulation. Peace should not reward the aggressor,” he added.
This content was originally published in European Union authorities visit Ukraine in a show of solidarity on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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