On Saturday, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen traveled to Kyiv and had a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The European Union is anticipated to issue a statement this week regarding Ukraine’s advancements in completing the required measures to initiate discussions for EU membership, scheduled for December.

“I want to commend you on your remarkable advancements. It is truly impressive,” stated von der Leyen following her discussion with Zelenskyy. “We must always remember that you are engaged in a critical battle while also enacting significant changes within your nation,” she added.

The Ukrainian president, Zelenskyy, stated during his daily speech on Saturday that Ukraine has made great progress. Despite facing a full-scale war, Ukraine has successfully become a candidate country for the European Union at a record pace and has met all the requirements for beginning negotiations.

Ukraine submitted a request to join the EU shortly after Russia’s invasion of their country in February of last year.

At a media briefing alongside von der Leyen, Zelenskyy refuted the notion that the war had reached a standstill and emphasized Ukraine’s need for increased support from its allies to bolster its air defense capabilities as the conflict enters its 21st month.