European Commission president wore an outfit in the colors of Ukraine's flag as she recommended the nation join the EU

• A top European official wore Ukrainian colors while delivering an opinion on EU candidacy status.

• Ursula von der Leyen wore a blue shirt with a yellow blazer in Brussels on Friday.

• She announced that the European Commission recommended Ukraine join the EU.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sported the colors of Ukraine's flag as she recommended on Friday that the country join the EU.

Wearing a blue shirt with a yellow blazer, von der Leyen delivered an opinion from the European Commission — the bloc's executive arm — at a press conference in Brussels.

The signature colors of Ukraine's national flag, which has been in use since 1848, have become well-known since the start of Russia's war against the eastern European country, and have appeared at press conferences and projected onto major landmarks around the world.

Twitter users, including members of Ukraine's parliament, immediately pointed out von der Leyen's attire.

Some on the website even cracked a few jokes.

Friday's recommendation from the European Commission means it's now up to EU member states to vote on Ukraine joining the bloc, a process that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy applied for just days after Russia's late-February invasion.

"We recommend to give Ukraine the candidate status, on the understanding that the country will carry out a number of important reforms," von der Leyen said on Twitter. "Ukraine has clearly shown commitment to live up to European values and standards. And embarked, before the war, on its way towards the EU."

The process for Ukraine to become an EU member state will take some time. The country has adopted "roughly 70%" of EU norms, standards, and rules, von der Leyen said.

"Yet important work remains to be done, on the rule of law, oligarchs, anti-corruption and fundamental rights," she said. "The process is merits-based. So progress depends entirely on Ukraine."

The Commission's recommendation comes as Ukraine continues to be bogged down by heavy fighting against Russian forces in the eastern Donbas region, claiming the lives of thousands and leaving cities in ruins.

Read the original article on Business Insider