European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who arrived in Kyiv on September 15 and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, says Ukraine's progress toward accession into the European Union is "well on track."
The EU leader, who is on her third visit to Kyiv since the start of Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, says she was impressed with the speed at which Ukraine is proceeding in its bid to join the EU.
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"The accession process is well on track. It's impressive to see the speed, the determination, the preciseness with which you are progressing," von der Leyen said during a press conference in Kyiv with Zelenskiy.
She added that the EU needs to do as much as possible to ensure Ukraine has "more business, more income."
Zelenskiy said Ukraine wants to join the European single market ahead of a decision on whether Kyiv is granted full EU membership.
"For us, a pressing issue is the question of Ukraine joining the EU single market while we're on the way to EU membership status. I'm sure it will happen, and it will be one of our country's most important victories," he told the news conference.
Ukraine became a candidate for EU membership in June, a move that Moscow claimed was part of the West's efforts to isolate Russia internationally after it launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in late February.
The overwhelming majority of EU countries have staunchly supported Ukraine since the Russian invasion by hitting Russia with waves of economic penalties.
Many members of the bloc have supplied Kyiv with advanced weapons that have helped the Ukrainian military regain control over swaths of territory Russia took in the early weeks of the war.
SEE ALSO: The Most Important Takeaways From Von Der Leyen's State-Of-The-EU SpeechZelenskiy, who on September 14 visited areas the Ukrainian military recaptured from Russian forces, said there was large-scale devastation in towns and cities there while the major city of Kryviy Rih struggled to contain damage to its water system from Russian missile attacks.
Von der Leyen congratulated Ukraine on its recent military success.
"I know there needs to be consolidation, but still it is impressive to see the bravery of the Ukrainian armed forces," she added. "Their success has lifted spirits, I would say, not only for the Ukrainian people but for all your friends, too."
Despite the devastation left behind by Russia's troops, Ukrainian forces continue to consolidate their control of the newly liberated areas of the Kharkiv region, Britain's Defense Ministry said in its regular intelligence bulletin on September 15.
The British intelligence assessment suggested Russian forces have largely withdrawn from the area west of the Oskil River in eastern Ukraine, abandoning high-value equipment that included capabilities essential to enable Russia's artillery-centric style of warfare.
The British bulletin also indicated that while some units retreated in relatively good order and under control, "others fled in apparent panic" during the Ukrainian blitz counteroffensive.
In Kryviy Rih, the largest city in central Ukraine with an estimated pre-war population of 650,000, eight Russian cruise missiles hit a hydropower system on September 14, officials said.
Zelenskiy said in his daily video address released early on September 15 that the missile strikes hit the Karachunov reservoir dam. The water system had "no military value" and hundreds of thousands of civilians depend on it daily, he said.
SEE ALSO: European Investment Bank Sends 500 Million Euros To Ukraine In Latest Funding PackageThe video, released after Zelenskiy's return to Kyiv from his visit to the liberated areas in the northeast Kharkiv region, came out later than his usual nightly address and followed word from his office that his car had collided with a private vehicle in Kyiv on its way back from the visit.
"The president was examined by a doctor, and no serious injuries were found," presidential spokesman Serhii Nykyforov said in a Facebook post early on September 15, without specifying what injuries Zelenskiy might have suffered.
The driver of the other vehicle received first aid from Zelenskiy’s medical team and was taken away by ambulance, Nikiforov wrote.
The spokesman added that the circumstances of the accident are under investigation.