EU Commission head visits Ukraine's capital

ANKARA

The head of the EU Commission on Thursday visited Kyiv, the capital of war-torn Ukraine.

“In Kyiv, for my 3rd visit since the start of Russia’s war. So much has changed. Ukraine is now a EU candidate,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Twitter.

“I’ll discuss with (Ukrainian President) Volodymyr Zelenskyy and (Prime Minister) Denys Shmyhal how to continue getting our economies and people closer while Ukraine progresses towards accession,” she added.

Russia launched its war against Ukraine on Feb. 24, and despite early victories by Moscow, the country has held out longer than most analysts initially expected.

Last week Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, recapturing thousands of square kilometers of territory from Russian forces.