The president Vladimir Zelensky said that trade restrictions imposed by her neighbors Ukrainian in Eastern Europe are “absolutely unacceptable” and that Kyiv expects “decisive” European decisions to eliminate them.

At a press conference with a representative of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen Zelensky said in Kyiv that such trade restrictions are harsh, protectionist and are used by Russia, which launched an attack on Ukraine in February 2022.

Zelensky said that Russian troops failed to capture the city Bahamut in eastern Ukraine on the eve of the Russian holiday on May 9, dedicated to the victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany in World War II.

A Ukrainian general said Sunday that Russia still hopes to capture Bakhmut before today’s Victory Day celebrations, while a military spokesman said today that fighting in the area continues.

The President of Ukraine urged the EU to take a decision start of accession negotiations. “It’s high time to remove the artificial political uncertainty in relations between Ukraine and the European Union. It’s time to take a positive decision to start negotiations on accession,” he said during a joint press conference with the Chairman of the Commission.

Von der Leyen’s visit amid Russian attacks

At a time when Ukraine is celebrating Europe Day, like the European Union, and the President of the European Commission is visiting Kyiv, dozens of Russian missiles were launched towards Ukrainian cities, and a powerful explosion rocked the Ukrainian capital early on Tuesday morning.

“Very loud explosion in Kyiv!” — the Ukrainian MP wrote in a post on his channel on the Telegram social network. Alexey Goncharenko.

According to information, fragments from missiles shot down by Ukrainian air defense fell on a residential building in the Goloseevskyin the south-west of Kyiv, causing minor damage, said the mayor of Kyiv. Vitaliy Klichko.

Debris was also found on the road in the area Shefchenkovskiyin the center of Kyiv, which is often the target of Russian shelling.

Russians say rain delays Ukrainian counterattack

There was a bombing warning both in Kyiv and in most of free Ukraine, as early as in the morning in May.

Ukraine said its air defenses shot down 23 of 25 cruise missiles fired, mostly at Kyiv overnight, with no casualties reported.

It was the second night in a series of major Russian airstrikes and the fifth this month.