Zelensky visits Kharkiv and meets Ukrainian defenders at the frontline
The Ukrainian president spent time in Kharkiv at the frontline positions where the country’s troops are deployed. He expressed deep pride in the courage and dedication of the defenders and publicly thanked every service member for their work. During the visit, outstanding fighters received recognition for their contributions, and recently Zelensky noted that state awards had been conferred on more than 15,000 Ukrainians over the past three months.
Following the Kharkiv stop, the president acknowledged the extensive damage in the city and surrounding areas, pledging that reconstruction would begin promptly and life would be restored to the region. This marked his first trip out of the Kyiv region since the start of hostilities, underscoring a broader effort to assess and respond to the war’s humanitarian consequences.
In early April, Zelensky had travelled to Bucha in the Kyiv region after international journalists highlighted casualties there. Ukrainian officials said the footage depicted crimes by the invading forces, while some Russian officials questioned the authenticity of the video, suggesting it was intended to smear Russia’s army.
European leaders visiting Ukraine
The period of intense European leadership visits began in early April. On April 8, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Josep Borrell, the bloc’s top diplomat, arrived in Ukraine. Their first stop was Bucha, where they lit candles in memory of the victims in a local Orthodox church.
From Bucha, EU leaders travelled to Kyiv by train for meetings with Zelensky. A central moment of the discussions involved von der Leyen presenting the European Union accession questionnaire. Zelensky welcomed the move, indicating that the path toward EU integration was moving forward from that point. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer also made the trip, visiting both Bucha and Kyiv on the same dates.
In Bucha, Nehammer paid his respects by lighting candles for the deceased. In Kyiv, he joined Zelensky and Kyiv’s mayor in discussions. He stated that Austria would remain militarily neutral, while asserting firmness in calling out crimes and acting against injustice. He pledged accountability for those responsible for victims of the conflict and noted that international legal processes proceed slowly but steadily.
Nehammer later travelled to Moscow, becoming the first European leader to meet Vladimir Putin face-to-face since the start of the war, a meeting conducted without handshakes or joint photographs. He explained that the visit reflected witnessing immense suffering in Ukraine. Shortly after, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Ukraine for an unannounced trip; the Ukrainian Embassy in London announced the meeting with a social post featuring Zelensky and Johnson. The two leaders walked together through Kyiv while being greeted by residents, including a Kharkiv native who offered ceramic roosters as keepsakes.
A few days later, the presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia visited Ukraine together, focusing on Borodyanka near Kyiv to assess infrastructure damage from the fighting. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda described the day as exposing a dark side of humanity. Polish government spokesperson Piotr Müller characterized the meeting as symbolic and a form of political and moral pressure on Western leaders who had promised assistance that needed to become tangible support.
Polish President Andrzej Duda made a second trip to Ukraine in late May, delivering remarks in Kyiv’s Verkhovna Rada as the first foreign leader to speak there since the war began. Near the end of April, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Kyiv, visiting Irpin, Bucha, and Borodianka to witness the devastation firsthand. He described the scenes of demolished houses, sharing a personal image of loss and the impact on families.
Later, European Council President Charles Michel visited Kyiv and also travelled to Odessa, where he sheltered during bombing. He described his visit to celebrate Europe Day as a moment in which the city embodies European ideals. Other regional leaders, including Nicolae Ciucă of Romania and Andrey Plenković of Croatia, along with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, joined a broader European facet of diplomacy by visiting Bucha and nearby areas.
U.S. officials visiting Ukraine
U.S. officials began arriving later in April. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met Zelensky in Kyiv on April 25, pledging to arrange the repatriation of evacuated American diplomats and delivering substantial financial aid. The U.S. Embassy resumed in Kyiv a short time later in May as part of ongoing support efforts.
In early May, First Lady Jill Biden visited Ukraine on an unannounced trip. She met with Olena Zelenska, wife of the Ukrainian president, in the Transcarpathian region and spoke with Ukrainian refugees who had found shelter in local schools. The visit emphasized American solidarity with the Ukrainian people. A U.S. Senate delegation also conducted talks with Zelensky during a confidential meeting in Kyiv in mid-May.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi traveled to Kyiv on May 2 to affirm that the United States stands with Ukraine until victory. The series of visits by U.S. leaders highlighted continued bipartisan support for Ukraine during the conflict, reinforcing commitments to diplomatic and humanitarian efforts while discussions around security assistance and reconstruction persisted.