Ukraine’s Zelensky appears unharmed in first public appearance since Kyiv car accident

The president was in Kyiv on Thursday with senior EU officials

Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to have shaken off his recent car accident as he was pictured greeting the president of the European Commission in Kyiv on Thursday.

The Ukrainian president was not seriously hurt in the incident on Wednesday night, his spokesperson announced on social media, but the cause of the accident is still being investigated.

It happened as Mr Zelensky was returning from the city of Izium, where he had been celebrating the success of Ukrainian troops in reclaiming territory from the Russians.

“The president was examined by a doctor, no serious injuries were found,” spokesperson Sergii Nykyforov wrote on social media after the accident. He said that medics accompanying Mr Zelensky had given the driver of the private car emergency assistance and put him in an ambulance.

On Thursday, commission president Ursula von der Leyen said she was impressed with the speed at which Ukraine is progressing in its bid to become a member of the European Union.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Ms Von der Leyen said she would address “how to continue getting our economies and people closer while Ukraine progresses towards accession” to the bloc – a stage that is likely to be some years away.

“The accession process is well on track. It’s impressive to see the speed, the determination, the preciseness with which you are progressing,” said Ms Von der Leyen.

She added that the EU needs to do as much as possible to ensure that Ukraine has “more business, more income”.

Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky said that air defence systems are a priority for his country as it attempts to protect its cities and towns from Russian strikes.

The European Commission president said she was impressed with the speed at which Ukraine is progressing in its bid to join the EU (Reuters)

He also said that Ukraine had not yet received a positive response from Israel on the possible supply of air defence systems, adding that the systems promised previously by Germany and the United States had also yet to arrive in Ukraine.