On the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, European leaders are showing support for Kyiv, while also expressing unease about the current state of the conflict with President Donald Trump’s administration at the negotiating table.
The winner of Germany’s election on Sunday – conservative leader Friedrich Merz – has been a staunch backer of Ukraine.
‘More than ever, we must put Ukraine in a position of strength,’ Merz, whose victory was celebrated by Trump, posted to X on Monday. ‘For a fair peace, the country that is under attack must be part of peace negotiations.’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and some European leaders took issue with Kyiv being left out of talks between U.S. and Russian diplomats in Saudi Arabia last week geared toward ending the war.
A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada were in Ukraine’s capital on Monday to mark three years since Russian troops invaded on Feb. 24, 2022.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among visitors scheduled to attend anniversary events and discuss supporting Ukraine with Zelenskyy.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier – primarily the ceremonial head of state – said ‘peace and freedom in Europe demand of us that we support Ukraine resolutely.’
‘Germany stands firmly beside Ukraine, with humanitarian aid, with protection for refugees, with military support,’ Steinmeier said in the video message, parts of which were aired on Ukrainian television. ‘And we will not ease up as long as this illegal war lasts.’ Steinmeier reportedly planned to join a video summit Zelenskyy was holding Monday with leaders of supportive nations.
The anniversary comes amid escalating public tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy.
‘I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job,’ Trump said Sunday.
Trump also dubbed the Ukrainian leader ‘a dictator without elections,’ following Zelenskyy’s accusation that Trump is living in a Russian-made ‘disinformation space.’ In an interview with the Daily Mail, Vice President JD Vance warned that ‘the idea that Zelenskyy is going to change the president’s mind by badmouthing him in public media, everyone who knows the President will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration.’
Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton characterized Trump’s remarks as ‘shameful,’ while former Vice President Mike Pence condemned the president for suggesting that Ukraine was at fault in the war. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy mentioned speaking Sunday with Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Trump had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and then Zelenskyy afterward, last week. Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv last Wednesday to meet with Zelenskyy.
The European Union’s top diplomat insisted Monday that the U.S. cannot seal any peace deal to end the war with Putin without Ukraine or Europe being involved.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also highlighted what she claimed were pro-Russian positions being taken up by the Trump administration.
‘You can discuss whatever you want with Putin. But if it comes to Europe or Ukraine, then Ukraine and Europe also have to agree to this deal,’ Kallas told reporters in Brussels, where she is chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Kallas travels to Washington on Tuesday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In terms of the U.S. message, she said it was ‘clear that the Russian narrative is there very strongly represented.’
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Monday that the last few ‘turbulent weeks’ surrounding the push to bring an end to the war had brought European nations ‘face to face with history.’
‘Today marks the start of the fourth year of the terrible war. Let us hope that it also marks the beginning of the end,’ he said.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Europe needs ‘to make clear to the Russians and everyone else that there are a few things that are completely off the table in these negotiations.’
‘One is EU membership. It is not Russia who decides on EU membership, it is the European Union who does that. Two is NATO. It is not Russia that decides on NATO membership. It is the alliance itself,’ he declared.
‘We will see a European Ukraine. We will see eventually Ukraine in NATO,’ Stubb said. ‘We’ve seen a unified European Union and hopefully a stronger trans-Atlantic alliance in the long run. And on a day like this, I think it’s time to pave the way for a plan for Ukrainian victory.’
Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, notably suggested Sunday that Russia was ‘provoked’ ahead of the Ukraine invasion by increasing talks of Kyiv joining NATO.
Czech President Petr Pavel said via remote link that he has ‘no doubt that the ultimate goal of this aggression has always been to wipe Ukraine as we know it off the map.’
‘Yet the resilience of the Ukrainian people has proven to be unbreakable,’ Pavel told the gathering of European leaders in Kyiv. ‘It deserves not only our admiration, but also our full respect. We all sincerely want peace in Ukraine and for its people, but not a peace at any cost.’
Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said Russia does not see any way to resume ‘dialogue with Europe’ after the European Union adopted its 16th round of sanctions against Russia on the third anniversary of the invasion.
The measures include targeting Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’ of ships that it exploits to skirt restrictions on transporting oil and gas, or to carry stolen Ukrainian grain. The EU said 74 vessels were added to its list.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the new sanctions also target ‘those who support the operation of unsafe oil tankers, videogame controllers used to pilot drones, banks used to circumvent our sanctions, and propaganda outlets used to spout lies.’ Asset freezes and travel bans were imposed on 83 officials and entities. More than 2,300 officials and entities have been hit since the invasion began, Putin.
By adding new sanctions, European nations appear to be convinced that the war should continue, Peskov said.
This stands in contrast with searching for ways to resolve ‘the conflict around Ukraine which is what we are currently doing with the Americans,’ Peskov said.
Speaking about Russia’s changing relationship with the U.S., Peskov welcomed ‘attempts by Washington to really understand what was the root cause of this conflict.’
The U.N. General Assembly, meanwhile, is expected to vote Monday on dueling resolutions: Ukraine’s European-backed proposal demanding an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from the country and a U.S. call for a swift end to the war that never mentions Moscow’s aggression, the Associated Press reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.