The dawn of the 23rdher February found the group of eight correspondents who would accompany the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen in the Kyiv to look for the Brussels military airport. Absolute wilderness. Until we board the Belgian Prime Minister’s plane, Alexander De Croix with whom we would be traveling together, we had already spent two hours outside of a work environment, with essentially introductory conversations, even if it was a business trip and certainly a background one.
It wasn’t long before Ursula von der Leyen, accompanied by the chief representative of the Commission, Eric Mamer came to greet the journalists. He wanted to know what country everyone was from and the contact with us was far from a podium and a press conference. After all, we would spend almost 48 hours together. The first stop was Warsaw where he and Alexander De Croo would meet Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The journalistic mission that accompanied Ursula von der Leyen on the train that left Warsaw for Kiev.
The meeting was followed by our transfer to the Polish border for the train that would take us to Kiev for the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was already dark when we left and soon after he left we were called for the standard briefing that the President would give us. Motionless, demonstrative, she preferred to speak to us standing up and was willing to answer openly any journalistic or non-journalistic question. Rather, we saw in front of us an experienced politician, who did not speak in wooden terms and who certainly did not show any fear towards journalists. Approachable and smiling despite the extremely busy schedule that awaited her when we arrived in Ukraine.
“Knowledgers of the Ukrainian reality explained to us that the world is trying to show that it lives normally, but it is not the case. No one knows what is in store for him at any moment.”
The journalists’ night continued by exchanging visits to our bunks, until we fell asleep waiting for the 11 hours of the trip to pass and the first images of darkened Ukraine to appear timidly. There were few people on the streets, after all it was Saturday and very early in the morning. At the train station, everything was done quickly. It makes perfect sense with four leaders on the same train aiming to send a message of unity on Ukrainian soil, negating any hopes Vladimir Putin may have had of division. Image of Ursula von der Leyen, Alexander De Crook, Georgia Meloni and Justin Trudeau arriving with Volodymyr Zelensky in the Antonov airportwhere it all started and all around the absolute destruction only indifferently they do not pass.
The 4 leaders (Ursula von der Leyen, Alexander de Croo, Georgia Meloni and Justin Trudeau) arrived at the Kiev railway station for the meeting with the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Connoisseurs of the Ukrainian reality explained to us that the world is trying to show that it lives normally, but it is not the case. No one knows what is in store at any moment. Sirens sound almost every two days. The stress is even greater for mothers with boys close to 18 since once they reach adulthood they will have to fight and are not allowed to leave the country except under certain conditions. The press conference was hardly a relaxing one. More than an hour late to start, without cell phones or computers time ticked by unbearably slowly until suddenly a gaggle of reporters poured into the corridors of the gilded presidential palace signaling that it was time to take our seats.
Leaving the Mariinsky Palace checkpoints and soldiers everywhere, while what catches the eye are the plaques on the pedestrian street outside the parliament, the Rada, with the names of leaders who have helped Ukraine. The journalists were running to catch up with the remaining meetings and the leaders the G7 meeting with the Georgia Meloni, the country holding the presidency of the G7, Italy, to constantly look at her mobile phone and the time. The return train was waiting for us with the Italian Prime Minister being the last to arrive at the station. Waiting for us in the carriage again was one of the workers with whom, although we did not speak a common language, he was there for us to take care of us, to offer us food and everything else we wanted on this journey.
The presence of the military is visible everywhere in the city of Kyiv.
Again available to journalists. Standing again, smiling again and again outside the lines and political guise. And this is not the only time she leaves her role aside. Anyone who has met her when she is in contact with young people and children understands. Like he’s focused and dedicated. For as long as she has time. Maybe it’s not a coincidence. Except from the EU iron lady, is a mother of seven children and a grandmother of three grandchildren. 14 hours later we are back in Brussels.
Leaving Kiev behind and still without anyone being able to predict the end of this war.
#BHMA #Kyiv #hours #Ursula #von #der #Leyen
