Some of Ukraine's most important backers, including Ursula von der Leyen, arrived in Kyiv in a conspicious show of support.

The European Union should reject European automakers' push to weaken 2025 CO2 car emission targets and related fines, two European electric transport groups wrote in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday.

Former colonial powers must apologise and pay compensation for their historic role in the enslavement of Africans, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada are in Ukraine's capital to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion. The visitors, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,

"Europe is here to strengthen Ukraine in this critical moment. I can announce that a new 3.5 billion euros ($3.7 billion) payment for Ukraine will arrive already in March," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

The European Commission will propose exempting defence from EU limits on government spending, the head of the EU executive, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Friday, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for Europe to finance its own defence.

Ukraine received pledges for aid worth billions of dollars on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion on Monday. "Europe is here to strengthen Ukraine in this critical moment," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a gathering of international leaders in the Ukrainian capital.

Member states will be allowed to substantially increase defense spending without exceeding deficit caps, Ursula von der Leyen told the Munich Security Conference.

Von der Leyen not only brushed off the ombudsman’s rebuke but doubled down by officially limiting access to certain kinds of documents, in a move that is being challenged by environmental NGO ClientEarth. Consolidating her grip on the Commission’s outward image, von der Leyen has also further reduced the institution’s number of spokespeople.

Ukraine will receive EUR 3.5 billion from the EU in March 2025, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. — Ukrinform.