EU defence commissioner arrives in Kyiv
European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius arrived in Kyiv on Thursday 8 May.
Source: European Pravda, citing Kubilius on X (Twitter)
Details: Kubilius shared photos from a memorial event in Kyiv marking the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation, where he was seen alongside Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. He recalled that around 10 million Ukrainians died during World War II.
"But the day of Victory in Europe for another half of Europe, including Ukraine, was the beginning of another period of oppression, by an empire still collapsing today.
Ukrainians fight against this empire's aggression, for their freedom – and ours. And we shall win!" Kubilius wrote.
80 years ago, Nazism was defeated and part of Europe regained freedom.
— Andrius Kubilius (@KubiliusA) May 8, 2025
Victory in Europe today is celebrated in #Kyiv, remembering that 10 mln Ukrainians died for this Victory.
🧵1/2 pic.twitter.com/cifKux5BnJ
Later, the Ukrainian government press service reported that Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal had met with the EU commissioner to discuss defence and technological cooperation.
Shmyhal noted that the European rearmament initiative ReArm Europe and the White Paper on the future of European defence present new opportunities for strengthening cooperation with Ukraine in the security sector and for integrating Ukraine’s defence industry with that of the EU.
He also expressed Ukraine’s interest in working with European companies under the recently announced Security and Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative.
Kubilius and Shmyhal also discussed Ukraine’s current military needs, the development of its defence industry, and potential ways to direct frozen Russian assets in Europe "towards strengthening Ukraine".
Background: On the same day, the European Commission announced that during the visit of EU foreign ministers to Ukraine on 9 May, a political decision would be adopted to establish an international tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
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