After Washington in December for his first international trip since the start of the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to go to Brussels.
He was invited to participate in "a future summit" of the Twenty-Seven, a spokesman for the President of the European Council Charles Michel announced on Monday, without further details, while several sources report his possible arrival in Brussels on Thursday.
Charles Michel “invited (Volodymyr) Zelensky to participate in person in a future (EU) summit.
For security reasons, no additional information will be disclosed,” a spokesperson for the European leader, Barend Leyts, said on Twitter.
@eucopresident has invited President @ZelenskyyUa to participate in person in a future summit of the European Council #EUCO
For security reasons, no further information will be provided.
— Barend Leyts (@BarendLeyts) February 6, 2023
However, several European sources have reported to AFP a possible visit by the Ukrainian to Brussels on Thursday, on the occasion of a meeting of heads of state and government of the Twenty-Seven.
He could intervene in person before the MEPs: a source in the European Parliament expressed “the probability that an extraordinary plenary session will be held on Thursday February 9 in the presence of Volodymyr Zelensky”.
Two other parliamentary sources confirmed this information, on condition of anonymity.
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The Ukrainian leader has a "permanent invitation" to Brussels, was content to indicate earlier Monday the spokesperson for Charles Michel.
The Ukrainian presidency has not confirmed this visit either, which raises security issues.
An extraordinary summit of European leaders is scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Brussels to discuss, in particular, the evolution of the war in Ukraine and EU solidarity with Kyiv.
Charles Michel, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and other high European representatives met Friday in kyiv with the Ukrainian President to show their support for the process of accession of Ukraine.
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The country has officially been a candidate for membership since June 2022, an arduous process requiring many reforms and which could take years but which Kyiv hopes to speed up.
Ukraine also receives financial support from the EU, which has already pledged 50 billion euros, including humanitarian and military aid.