Foreign leaders visit Ukraine’s capital to mark 3rd war anniversary

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a joint press conference on the sidelines of the "Ukraine. Year 2025" forum in Kyiv on February 23, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
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Updated 24 February 2025
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Foreign leaders visit Ukraine’s capital to mark 3rd war anniversary

  • Zelensky hails ‘three years of resistance’ on Russian invasion anniversary

KYIV: Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky hailed his country's “resistance” and “heroism” on Monday on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion as EU leaders arrived in Kyiv in a show of solidarity.

He said: “Three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of Ukrainians,” adding: I thank everyone who defends and supports it.”

A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada arrived in Ukraine’s capital by train Monday morning to mark the anniversary.
The visitors were greeted at the station by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and the president’s chief of staff Andrii Yermak. Among them were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In a post on X, von der Leyen wrote that Europe was in Kyiv “because Ukraine is in Europe.”
“In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” she wrote.
The guests, also including European Council President Antonio Costa as well as the prime ministers of Northern European countries and Spain, were set to attend events dedicated to the anniversary and discuss supporting Ukraine amid a recent US policy shift under President Donald Trump.


Changes to US security strategy ‘largely consistent’ with Russia’s vision: Kremlin

Updated 07 December 2025
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Changes to US security strategy ‘largely consistent’ with Russia’s vision: Kremlin

  • Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the current US administration was “fundamentally different from the previous ones”

MOSCOW: Russia has welcomed changes in the US National Security Strategy, saying the adjustments that marked a radical departure from Washington’s previous policy were “largely consistent” with Moscow’s vision.
Washington’s new National Security Strategy, published early Friday, took aim at allies in Europe, calling it over-regulated, lacking in “self-confidence” and facing “civilizational erasure” due to immigration.
The document stated that the United States would also prevent other powers from dominating but added: “This does not mean wasting blood and treasure to curtail the influence of all the world’s great and middle powers.”
Commenting on the new US strategy, the Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the current US administration was “fundamentally different from the previous ones.”
“The adjustments we’re seeing, I would say, are largely consistent with our vision,” Peskov said in an interview with state TV station Rossiya aired Sunday.
“President Trump is currently strong in terms of domestic political positions. And this gives him the opportunity to adjust the concept to suit his vision,” Peskov added.
The publication of the updated security strategy came as officials from Kyiv held talks in Florida with Trump’s envoys on the US-drafted plan to end the near four-year war in Ukraine.
Three days of talks produced no apparent breakthrough.
President Volodymyr Zelensky committed to further negotiations toward “real peace,” as Russia in the early hours of Saturday launched another series of drone and missile strikes at Ukraine.
Zelensky is due to meet with European leaders — French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — in London on Monday to take stock of the negotiations.