European Union leaders will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday, bringing the promise of new sanctions against Russia but disappointing Ukraine's hope for swift membership to the EU.

The head of the group's executive commission, Ursula von der Leyen, arrived in Kyiv by train on Thursday, a symbolic journey to demonstrate support for Ukraine as the first anniversary of Russia's Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of its neighbor approaches.

Senior members of the EU's executive met their counterparts in the Ukrainian government, and von der Leyen and the chairman of the 27 EU national leaders, Charles Michel, will convene talks with Zelenskyy on Friday.