Macron, Scholz and Draghi due in Ukraine to offset criticism of prevarication

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi have taken an overnight train to Ukraine's capital Kyiv. 

Italian daily La Repubblica reported on Thursday that the three European leaders have taken a night train to the Ukrainian capital.

France's Ambassador to Kyiv, Etienne de Poncins, published on his Twitter account a photo taken in the Repubblica paper of the three leaders in a train en route to Kyiv.

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EU leaders accused of 'foot-dragging' by Kyiv

The visit by the three European leaders has taken weeks to organise with the three men looking to overcome criticism within Ukraine over their response to the war.

Kyiv has criticised France, Germany and, to a lesser extent, Italy, for alleged foot-dragging in their support for Ukraine, accusing them of being slow to deliver weapons and of putting their own prosperity ahead of Ukraine's freedom and security.

This comes as Macron visited Romania and Moldova earlier this week, underlining the proximity of the Ukraine war and the potential spill-over of the conflict into the disputed Transnistria region.