The President of the European Commission has said that there is no clear timeline for when Ukraine may be able to join the European Union.

Speaking alongside European Council President Charles Michel and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an EU-Ukraine summit in Kyiv, Ursula von der Leyen said "the accession process is a merits-based process. In other words, there are no rigid timelines, but there are goals that you have to reach, reforms for example, to improve a situation in the candidate country to then reach the accession negotiations and the accession itself."

The Commission President was responding to questions from Ukrainian journalists after President Zelenskyy set out his ambitious timeline for membership.

"The goal is to start negotiations this year. This is not just a purpose but a major, overwhelming goal," said the Ukrainian leader.

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Despite his ambitions, and encouragement from Brussels, the road to membership is likely to be a long one, with Kyiv still needing to push important reforms through, particularly on anti-corruption measures, media regulation and protection for minorities.

While Von der Leyen wouldn't be drawn on a specific timeline, she also celebrated the work done by Ukraine to date, saying she was impressed by the "preciseness, quality and speed" of the reforms put in place by Kyiv.

If the timelines of Ukraine's accession remain unclear, both EU leaders were adamant that the bloc's support for Ukraine was unwavering ahead of the one year anniversary of the start of Russia's attack on the country.

"Our support has been rock solid since day one, and that will continue," said EU Council President Charles Michel. "Our overall support amounts to nearly 50 billion euros ($54bn), from weapons to military support, from generators to transformers, supporting your schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure."

EU leaders announced further support for Ukraine, including $49 million to boost the bloc's mission training Ukrainian military personnel and $27 million for demining operations across the country.

Oil price cap agreed

Beyond the Kyiv summit, the EU agreed late on Friday to a price cap for Russian refined oil products like diesel, petrol and jet fuel.

The measure builds on an EU import ban for these products will come into force on Sunday, February 5. Beyond that, European companies, like insurers and shipping firms, will not be able to facilitate the sale of Russian refined oil products sold above $100 per barrel, in a move designed to limit Russia's ability to finance what Moscow calls its 'special military operation' in Ukraine.

While the prospect of Ukraine joining the EU remains a distant hope, the bloc's support for Kyiv appears to be staying the course.