Sharjah24 - AFP: This week, Ukraine will host a meeting with the European Union in Kyiv, the administration announced on Tuesday, in the hopes that it could advance the war-torn country closer to joining the bloc almost a year after Russia began its invasion.
Kyiv also announced it expected to receive up to 140 modern battle tanks from its Western allies, while the prospect of more advanced weapons for Ukraine came from the United States.
In his evening address to the nation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped the Friday summit would reflect a high "level of cooperation and progress" with the 27-member bloc, which Kyiv has long sought to join.
"We are waiting for news for Ukraine," Zelensky said.
The fact the summit is being held in the Ukrainian capital sends "a powerful signal to both partners and enemies", Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said.
"It is a message that Europe believes in Ukraine's victory and supports our rapid movement towards EU membership," he said.
Ukraine gained EU candidate status in June last year, several months after Vladimir Putin sent Russian troops rolling across the border.
No details were provided on who would attend the summit from the European Union side.
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