News Feed

Zelensky to meet with EU, NATO leaders in Brussels on Dec. 19

2 min read
Zelensky to meet with EU, NATO leaders in Brussels on Dec. 19
French President Emmanuel Macron (C) walks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (R) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) after a meeting at the Elysée Presidential Palace in Paris, France, on Dec. 7, 2024. (Julien De Rosa / AFP via Getty Images)

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect comments made by Zelensky on Dec. 13 on his upcoming visit.

President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Brussels on Dec. 19 to meet with European Union and NATO leaders, an undisclosed source from the president's team told the Kyiv Independent on Dec. 13.

Brussels will host a two-day European Summit in the EU Council buildings on Dec. 18-19.

Following a phone call with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Dec. 11, Zelensky announced a personal meeting with him "next week in Brussels." Zelensky further appeared to confirm his upcoming visit during his evening address on Dec. 13, stating that preparations are underway "for meetings in Brussels next week with European leaders."

During his visit, Zelensky will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to discuss support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. The president will also meet with the leaders of the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Poland, according to Reuters.

"It won't be a meeting that has concrete decisions, but more political to discuss the coming weeks and months," said a source familiar with the meeting told Reuters.

Ukrainian officials stressed earlier that NATO membership is the only path toward a just and lasting peace. While acknowledging that the country cannot become a full member amid the full-scale war, Kyiv asked the allies to at least extend an invitation now as a clear signal of support.

NATO previously said that Ukraine is on an "irreversible" path toward membership, but its members have failed to reach a consensus on an invitation. The U.S., Germany, Hungary, and Slovakia are reportedly among the main opponents of the step.

How will Russia’s war in Ukraine end? The good, the bad, and the ugly scenarios
Editor’s note: This article is a compliment to an upcoming analytical report on scenarios for the end of Russia’s war against Ukraine by KI Insights, the Kyiv Independent’s research unit. After nearly three years of heavy battles and mass strikes, Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine is showing
Article image
Avatar
Kateryna Hodunova

News Editor

Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport. Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards. She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

Read more
News Feed

The World Bank will provide $200 million over the next five years to prepare Ukrainian projects for large-scale reconstruction, the Economy Ministry announced on July 11. The funding will be available under the five-year PREPARE program with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).

Video

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

Show More