A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada were in Ukraine’s capital on Monday, February 24, to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the country. The visitors, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, were set to attend anniversary events and discuss supporting Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The anniversary was being marked as US policies on Russia and Ukraine shift under President Donald Trump.

World leaders, showing support for Ukraine, were greeted at the train station by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and the president’s chief of staff Andrii Yermak. In a post on X, von der Leyen wrote that Europe was in Kyiv “because Ukraine is in Europe.”

Arriving by train, von der Leyen said Ukraine was fighting “for survival” and that Europe’s “destiny” was at stake in Ukraine. “We are in Kyiv today, because Ukraine is Europe. In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny,” she said.

In an apparent rebuke of Trump’s moves to sideline Kyiv from talks on how to end the war, EU Council President Antonio Costa said: “In Ukraine, about Ukraine, with Ukraine.”

Zelensky hails Ukraine’s ‘resistance’

Zelensky hailed “three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of Ukrainians,” adding: “I thank everyone who defends and supports it.” The Ukrainian leader said he hoped Monday’s meeting with 13 leaders in Kyiv, and another 24 joining a special meeting online, would be a “turning point.” He is calling for security guarantees from Kyiv’s backers to ensure Russia does not use any ceasefire to rearm and attack again at a later date.

Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch what he called a “special military operation” set off the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II. Tens of thousands of soldiers – from both sides – and Ukrainian civilians have been killed, cities across the country’s south and east have been flattened and millions forced to flee their homes.

Three years after the West rallied behind Ukraine and Zelensky, Trump’s return to the White House has threatened to upend that coalition of support and has brought vital military and financial aid into question at a critical juncture in the war.

Russian troops are still advancing across the east and Moscow has been emboldened by Trump’s diplomatic outreach and his scepticism over long-term support for Kyiv.

Zelensky offered on Sunday to resign if it meant Ukraine could be given NATO membership.

Macron to talk with Trump

The Kremlin on the eve of the anniversary repeated Russia’s position that it would not give up territory it has captured in Ukraine’s east and south. Moscow has also said it would not accept Ukrainian admission to NATO.

Trump is pushing both Ukraine and Russia for a swift end to the war. Triggering alarm in Kyiv and across Europe, he has restarted diplomacy with Moscow, calling Putin for a 90-minute phone conversation and despatching Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

French President Emmanuel Macron was due in Washington later Monday for a meeting with Trump. He said he plans to tell the Republican: “You cannot be weak in the face of President Putin.”

Europe has been left scrambling to respond as Trump and his team have not only questioned support for Ukraine, but also decades of transatlantic security cooperation between the United States and its key European allies.