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EU's Costa, von der Leyen to visit Kyiv on Feb. 24

by Martin Fornusek February 20, 2025 3:01 PM 1 min read

Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, attended a European Council Meeting on Dec. 19, 2024, in Brussels, Belgium. (Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)

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European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit Kyiv on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale war, Costa announced on Feb. 20.

Last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans to hold a summit for Ukraine's partners in Kyiv on Feb. 24 to discuss the next joint steps on peace and security.

The visit aims to reaffirm the EU's "support to the heroic Ukrainian people and to the democratically elected President Volodymyr Zelensky," Costa said on X.

The statement comes after U.S. President Donald Trump denounced Zelensky as a "dictator without elections," reiterating Kremlin talking points about the Ukrainian president's legitimacy.

Trump's comments cast doubt on his future commitment to Ukraine, sparking discussions in European capitals on how to step up support for Kyiv if Washington withdraws.

Author: Martin Fornusek

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News Feed

4:57 PM

Lawmaker from Zelensky's party resigns after corruption charges, MP says.

Kormyshkina was charged by Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) on Oct. 17 with illicit enrichment worth more than Hr 20 million ($480,000).

4:29 PM

Most Danes back sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, poll shows.

Some 53% of Danes are in favor of sending peacekeepers into the country after Russia's full-scale war ends, according to a poll, published by Ritzau news agency on Feb. 21, Bloomberg reported.

4:05 PM

Trump's envoy Kellogg praises Zelensky as 'courageous leader' after talks.

"Extensive and positive discussions with (President Volodymyr Zelensky), the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war, and his talented national security team," Keith Kellogg said.

3:46 PM

5.2 million Ukrainian refugees remain abroad, less than half plan to return, poll says.

The Center for Economic Strategy projects that between 1.7 and 2.7 million Ukrainians may permanently remain abroad, potentially reducing Ukraine's annual GDP by 5.1% to 7.8%.

3:11 PM

EU seeks more US gas to replace Russian supplies.

The EU is also looking to develop renewable energy faster to reduce its overall dependence on the fuel, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said.

2:53 PM

Over 130 Ukrainian NGOs say elections 'impossible' during war.

"The legitimacy of the Ukrainian government is the exclusive prerogative of the Ukrainian people," the statement read.

1:46 PM

Kremlin denies demanding NATO eastern rollback in talks with US.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said this in reaction to an article by the Financial Times claiming that during the talks in Riyadh on Feb. 18, Russian delegates asked for the NATO rollback as a condition for "normalizing relations."

1:14 PM

63% of Ukrainians approve of Zelensky as president, poll shows.

Some 26.1% of Ukrainians said they completely approve Zelensky, while another 36.9% said they tend to approve him. The overall figure is higher than in polls conducted years before Russia's full-scale invasion, as well as in the spring of 2024.

12:49 PM

Sweden suspects sabotage after new undersea cable damage.

The fiber-optic cable, running between Finland and Germany, was damaged near the Gotland Island within the Swedish economic zone, Sweden's Coast Guard said.

12:03 PM

Ukrainian edtech company Headway joins global entrepreneur network Endeavor.

The selection marks a milestone for Ukraine's tech sector, coming during the third year of Russia's full-scale invasion and following Endeavor's launch in the country in October 2024.

11:37 AM

Russia wants to declare 'victory' over Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukrainian intel claims.

According to the Ukrainian military intelligence, Russia aims to sow despair among Ukrainians, destabilize the situation in the country, and discredit Ukraine among its allies.

11:28 AM

Azerbaijan suspends local BBC News office.

The British broadcaster confirmed that it had taken the "reluctant decision" to close the office following verbal instructions from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

10:48 AM

UK, Norway discuss Arctic defense pact over Russian threat.

"With Russia continuing to militarise the High North and Arctic, this new agreement will boost security for the U.K., Norway, and our NATO allies, bolstering defenses on NATO’s northern flank," the British government said in a statement.

10:27 AM

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"The only way is to test them (Russia), to basically engage them and say, okay, are you serious about ending the war, and if so, what are your demands. Are your public demands and your private demands different?" U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "It may turn out that they don’t want to end the war."

9:51 AM

EU's Costa, von der Leyen to visit Kyiv on Feb. 24

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