'Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective,' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says, but stops short of initiating fast-track accession process

Sirens sound as Western European leaders, Romanian president arrive in Kyiv; in beleaguered Irpin, French president denounces 'barbarism' of Russian attacks

Macron, Scholz and Draghi take train from Poland in 1st visit since start of Russian invasion; will meet Zelensky as Kyiv pushes for official candidate status to join EU

Delivery will be largest since invasion began; US president also promises $225 million in humanitarian aid

Zelensky aide says Ukrainian artillery outnumbered 10 to one; Moscow announces humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from besieged chemical plant in Severodonetsk

Mikhail Kasyanov says Russian president has built a system based on impunity and fear: 'I knew a different Putin'

State-owned media says 23 Kherson residents received passports through 'simplified procedure'; Kyiv denounces move as 'flagrant violation' of its territorial integrity

Moscow said to be using highly inaccurate 1960s-era anti-ship missiles, able to cause severe collateral damage and casualties; Kyiv accuses Russian forces of using flamethrowers

'It is obvious that Russia is determined to wear down the West' to make it increasingly amenable to a compromise, one analyst says

Russia concentrates its firepower on Severodonetsk, which Moscow now mostly controls; Zelensky says progress made in other areas of Ukraine