European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announces her intention to propose extending protection for Ukrainians who are fleeing the war waged by Russia against Ukraine in the European Union.

She said this in Strasbourg on Wednesday, speaking at the European Parliament with the "State of the Union" address. Assuring that the EU will be with Ukraine as long as necessary, the President of the European Commission said since the beginning of this war, 4 million Ukrainians have found refuge in the EU. "I want to say to them that they are as welcome now as they were in those fateful first weeks [of the Russian invasion]. We have ensured that they have access to housing, healthcare, the job market and much more. This was Europe answering the call of history. "And so I am proud to announce that the Commission will propose to extend our temporary protection to Ukrainians in the European Union," von der Leyen said.

However, she did not specify for what period the European Commission will propose to extend this mechanism.

The EC President also said, as part of support for Ukraine, this year alone the EU provided EUR 12 billion for the payment of wages and pensions to "help keep hospitals, schools and other services running." "And through our ASAP proposal we are ramping up ammunition production to help match Ukraine's immediate needs, but we are also looking further ahead. This is why we have proposed an additional EUR 50 billion over four years for investment and reforms. This will help build Ukraine's future to rebuild a modern and prosperous country. And that future is clear to see. This House [the European Parliament] has said it out loud: the future of Ukraine is in our Union. The future of the Western Balkans is in our Union. The future of Moldova is in our Union," von der Leyen said and these words were met with applause.

In the section of the speech dedicated to Ukraine, the President of the European Commission introduced to the deputies the writer from Colombia Héctor Abad, who was present in the session hall of the European Parliament, who was with Victoria Amelina when she was killed by a Russian ballistic missile during dinner with other fellow writers. "She was the victim of a Russian war crime, one of countless attacks against innocent civilians," she said.

Amid prolonged applause, the Abad stood up and showed Amelina's portrait.