Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a meeting in Kyiv on May 9, 2023. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, President Zelensky expressed his hope that the EU summit in June will make progress in evaluating Kyiv's integration.

Zelensky called on the EU to take a "strong decision" to remove trade restrictions that some of Ukraine's western neighbors are imposing.

In May last year, the EU allowed Ukraine to send grain exports through the EU after Black Sea shipping routes were blocked by Russia.

Some countries believe that a large proportion of Ukraine's agricultural products, after being shipped to the EU, are not exported further but are dumped on the market in Central and Eastern Europe, leading many countries to ban the import of food products from Ukraine to protect domestic producers.