EU's von der Leyen to unveil new defence initiatives in Kiev

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kiev on Wednesday for her 11th visit to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

"I will announce new initiatives to integrate our defence industries. So we can produce more, and faster," von der Leyen wrote on X after arriving in the Ukrainian capital.

She described the visit as coming at a "special moment," saying Ukraine had built up strong military momentum and that "the tide is turning."

"We will also discuss accession and preparations for this winter," she added.

The European Union is moving forward with accession negotiations, although Ukraine is not expected to complete the process before the next decade.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also due to award von der Leyen the Order of Europe, "which honours outstanding personal merit in helping Ukraine defend its independence and the security of all of Europe," her spokeswoman wrote on X.