European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv on July 15, 2026, to launch a new defence partnership between the EU and Ukraine, the European Commission said. The visit was her eleventh wartime trip to the country.
During the visit, von der Leyen received the Order of Europe, the first time that award had been presented, according to the Commission. The new defence partnership was the centrepiece of the trip, aimed at deepening security cooperation between the two sides.
Von der Leyen said Ukraine's role had shifted fundamentally. "Ukraine has become a net security provider for Europe," she said.
The Commission published its account of the visit on July 17, 2026.