Ukraine’s leader courts allies as Russia strikes hometown

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen greet each other in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy worked on Thursday to add political momentum to Ukraine’s recent military gains against Russia, while missile strikes that caused flooding near his hometown demonstrated Moscow’s determination to reclaim the battlefield advantage.

A week after a Ukrainian counteroffensive caused Russian troops to retreat from a north-east region, Mr Zelenskyy met with European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen during her third wartime visit to Kyiv.