EU's Von Der Leyen Heads to Kiev by Train (Photos)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen headed for the Ukrainian capital Kiev early Friday morning, accompanied by EU foreign affairs chief Josep Brrelorrell.

Von der Leyen - a former German defence minister - is going to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The German leader set off from the small southern Polish town of Przemysl, just 13 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. The airspace over Ukraine is closed because of the war.

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Von der Leyen will be the first Western leader to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian attacks in Kyiv and the Bucha massacre in recent days.

In response to the murder of hundreds of civilians in Bucha, von der Leyen proposed a fifth sanctions package targeting Russia on Tuesday.

In mid-March the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic travelled to Kiev by train. Last week, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also visited the city.

Zelenskyy stated that the UN Security Council “could not act effectively” regarding the Russian war in Ukraine.

“Where is the Security Council? The world’s most important institution concerned with safeguarding peace cannot function effectively,” Zelenskyy told the council in a video address, adding that the council resolutions are necessary for peace in Ukraine.