PARIS: European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has said she is on her way to Ukraine, making her the first EU leader to visit the war-torn country.

The Maltese MEP, who was elected in January, tweeted Thursday “On my way to Kyiv” alongside a Ukrainian flag, but gave no further details.

In mid-March the Polish, Czech and Slovenian prime ministers travelled to Kyiv to show their solidarity with Ukraine.

The Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and his Czech and Slovenian counterparts, Petr Fiala and Janez Jansa, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in the capital.

Russia on Thursday said it will expand the list of EU figures banned from entering the country following Western sanctions over Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine.

Russia forces regrouping to attack south, Ukraine president warns

Russia has been hit with a barrage of sanctions after it launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24.