Ursula von der Leyen arrives in Kyiv, pledges new EU defence support and drone cooperation

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made her 11th wartime visit to Kyiv, announcing a package of new initiatives to integrate EU and Ukrainian defence industries and to boost production of military equipment, with a special focus on drones. The announcement comes alongside the EU’s €90 billion loan programme for Ukraine and ongoing negotiations for Ukrainian accession to the EU.

Von der Leyen attended the fifth Ukraine‑Southeast Europe Summit, which brought together leaders from Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Croatia and other regional partners. Romanian President Nicușor Dan, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and other officials took part, reaffirming support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, security of the Black Sea region and the country’s EU integration path. The summit’s agenda covered defence cooperation, regional security, energy resilience and broader European integration.

During the visit, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded von der Leyen the newly created Order of Europe, recognising her role in defending Ukraine’s independence and advancing its EU accession.