Newly appointed European Council president Antonio Costa has travelled to Kyiv on his first day in office. The new high representative for foreign affairs Kaja Kallas and EU Enlargement commissioner Marta Kos also travelled to the Ukrainian capital on Sunday.

The symbolic visit by the two new European leaders is intended to show the EU’s support for Ukraine. Costa and Kallas have a meeting scheduled with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. 

“We came to give a clear message that we stand with Ukraine and we continue to give our full support,” Costa said. He added that this meant humanitarian, financial, military and diplomatic support. The common European future and Ukraine’s planned EU membership are also on the agenda. 

Heightened tensions

The visit comes at a time of heightened tensions between Moscow and the West following Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory with US and British missiles. Russia has responded with an experimental hypersonic missile, massive attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and nuclear threats. 

“The situation in Ukraine is very, very grave. But it’s clear that it comes at a very high cost for Russia as well,” said Kallas. Before becoming high representative, Kallas was prime minister of Estonia.

‘Aid for Ukraine is not charity’

Since the Russian invasion began almost three years ago, European countries have spent about 125 billion dollars in aid to Ukraine. The United States has contributed about 90 billion dollars. But with the arrival of Donald Trump as US president in January, it is uncertain whether that US aid will continue. 

Kallas said the European Union will use transactional language to convince Trump of its continued support for Kyiv. “Aid for Ukraine is not charity,” she said. “A victory for Russia definitely emboldens China, Iran and North Korea.”

Costa, Kallas and Kos have officially been in office since midnight, along with the full team of European commissioners led by commission president Ursula von der Leyen. Costa succeeds Belgium’s Charles Michel, while Kallas takes over from Spain’s Josep Borrell. 

^{The new president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, during the handover ceremony at the European Council in Brussels on 29 November 2024 © BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE}

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