Brussels, 7 April 2022 (dpa/MIA) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to pay a solidarity visit on Friday to the Ukrainian capital Kiev, where she will meet President Volodymyr Zelensky, among others.

She will be accompanied by EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.

The European Commission had earlier announced the trip would take place this week but had not given the exact day.

Von der Leyen will be the first Western leader to visit Ukraine since the atrocities in the Kiev suburb of Bucha were exposed.

In mid-March the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic travelled to Kiev by train. Last week, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola visited the city.