Macron called Duda to discuss Kiev visit. EU Commission backs Ukraine's EU membership bid

The leaders of Germany, France and Italy, all criticised in the past by Kyiv for support viewed as too cautious, visited Ukraine on Thursday and offered the hope of EU membership to a country pleading for weapons to fend off Russia's invasion.

Head of the presidential International Policy Bureau Jakub Kumoch informed that on Friday that earlier that day presidents of Poland and France discussed said issues over the phone. "Moments ago president Andrzej Duda received a call from president Emmanuel Macron regarding French, German and Italian leaders' visit to Kiev and attempts to grant Ukraine the status of EU membership candidate. Poland and France will join efforts in favour of this solution," Kumoch said on Twitter.

He added that the Polish president had thanked France and Germany for supporting Ukraine's bid to become an EU member and vowed that - together with his counterparts from Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia - they would strive to convince those still uncertain to support this "brave and necessary move".

"Ukraine is Europe," Kumoch added.

After holding talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the leaders signalled that Ukraine should be granted European Union candidate status, a symbolic gesture that would draw Kyiv closer to the economic bloc.

Scholz said Germany had taken in 800,000 Ukrainian refugees who had fled the conflict and would continue to support Ukraine as long as it needs. "Ukraine belongs to the European family," he said.

"We appreciate the support already provided by partners, we expect new deliveries, primarily heavy weapons, modern rocket artillery, anti-missile defence systems," Zelenskiy said after the talks with his European counterparts.

"There is a direct correlation: the more powerful weapons we get, the faster we can liberate our people, our land," he said.

Macron said France would step up arms deliveries to Kyiv, while NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels pledged more weapons for Ukraine while making plans to bolster the U.S.-led military alliance's eastern flank.

The European Commission recommended on Friday that the European Union designate Ukraine as a candidate for membership, a milestone in its path from a former Soviet republic towards a developed economy in the world's largest trading bloc.

"The Commission recommends ... Ukraine is given candidate status," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference, dressed in Ukraine's national colours of a yellow jacket and blue shirt.

"Ukraine has clearly demonstrated the country's aspirations and the country's determination to live up to European values and standards," she said.

While some EU countries including the Netherlands and Denmark do not support more countries becoming EU membership candidates, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy won the backing of France, Germany, Italy and Romania on Thursday.

The decision by the Commission, the EU executive, will pave the way for EU government leaders to sign off on it at a summit next Thursday and Friday in Brussels in what will be a morale boost for Ukraine as it fights Russia's invasion.

EU candidate status, sought by Ukraine since 2014 when protests in Kyiv toppled an unpopular pro-Russian president.

For the EU, the path towards membership is expected to take years, requiring deep reforms tackling endemic corruption. Von der Leyen singled out corruption during a visit to Kyiv on June 11.