BRUSSELS, May 8. /TASS/. President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Kiev on May 9 to express support for Ukraine, head of the press service of the EC Eric Mamer said at a briefing in Brussels on Monday.

"Tomorrow the President [of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen] will be in Kiev, Ukraine, where she will meet Volodymir Zelensky and reaffirm the EU’s support for the country," Mamer said.

He also said that the EC had decided to award to President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine the Charlemagne Prize, which is awarded annually for contribution to EU unification.

The spokesman declined to comment on von der Leyen's trip in light of the long-standing idea of creating a security system in Europe that would include Russia. Mamer only specified that the main goal of the head of the EC in Kiev would be to confirm the EU's intention to continue supplying weapons to Ukraine.

This statement was unusual, because since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation, Brussels has reported on the visits of European politicians to Kiev only after they arrived at the scene. This was always explained by "concerns for their safety." The EC did not explain why an exception was made in this case.

On May 9, the EU celebrates not the victory over Nazi Germany, but Europe Day - the anniversary of the declaration by then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman on May 9, 1950 on the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community. It initiated the process of European integration.