French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi have taken the night train to Ukraine capital Kyiv, the French presidential office said on Thursday, confirming earlier reports, Reuters reported.

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

The visit by the three European leaders comes as Ukraine once again pleaded for more weapons to fend off Russia advances in the south and the east.

The trip has taken weeks to organize with the three men looking to overcome criticism within Ukraine over their response to the war.

The symbolic visit comes a day before the European Commission makes a recommendation on Ukraine's status as an EU candidate, something the biggest European nations have been lukewarm about and are set to discuss at a leaders' summit on June 23-24.