Air raid sirens sound in Kyiv during visit by EU leaders

Zelensky urges more punitive measures against Russia, seeks fast track to join EU

KYIV Air raid alerts sounded across Ukraine on Friday as President Volodymyr Zelensky hosted European Union leaders for talks to discuss further sanctions on Russia and Kyiv's prospects of joining the European bloc.

The head of the EU's executive commission and the chairman of the 27 EU national leaders were in Kyiv to demonstrate support for Ukraine ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's Feb 24 invasion of its neighbour.

"There will be no let-up in our resolve. We will also support you every step of the way on your journey to the EU," the bloc's chairman Charles Michel wrote on Twitter on Friday, under a picture of himself at a central Kyiv square.

There were no immediate reports of fresh missile strikes following the air raid warning.

Mr Zelensky is calling for more punitive EU measures against Russia, though new sanctions that the bloc is preparing for the anniversary are set to fall short of his government's demands.

Kyiv applied to join the bloc days after Russia invaded last year. The EU has embraced the application, but has rebuffed Ukraine's calls for a fast track to membership while the country is at war.

"The EU will support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people against Russia's ongoing war of aggression for as long as it takes," Mr Michel,

Mr Zelensky and EU executive commission head Ursula von der Leyen were expected to say in a joint statement, a draft of which was seen by Reuters.