Supporting Ukraine is costly, freedom is priceless: von der Leyen

Supporting Ukraine comes at a high cost, but freedom is "priceless," European Commission chief Urszula Von der Leyen said on Thursday amid soaring inflation and high energy prices in Europe.

The EU's sanctions on Russia are having a deep and visible impact, European Commission President Urszula Von der Leyen told Reuters at an interview in Kyiv, shortly after she met Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Asked about the potential impact of Europe's unfolding cost of living and energy crises on support for Ukraine, Von der Leyen said supporting Ukraine "comes at a high cost, but our freedom, the international peace order, and democracy, is priceless."

She also said that she wants Russian President Vladimir Putin to face the International Criminal Court over war crimes in Ukraine.

"That Putin must lose this war and must face up to his actions, that is important to me," she told the TV channel of German news outlet Bild.

There was no doubt that war crimes had been committed in Ukraine, said von der Leyen, who also visited Kyiv Thursday.

"Therefore we support the collection of evidence" with a view to possible proceedings at the International Criminal Court, she said.

"That is the basis of our international legal system, that we punish these crimes. And ultimately, Putin is responsible," she said.

Asked whether Putin would one day be brought before the court, she responded: "I believe it is possible."

During her visit to Ukraine for talks on closer integration with the European Union, von der Leyen pledged that the war-torn country would have Europe's support for "as long as it takes".