European leaders gather in Kyiv for Ukraine's Independence Day celebrations
European officials, including the UK prime minister, met with President Zelenskyy in Kyiv to mark Ukraine's Independence Day and pledged additional military and financial aid amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
European leaders arrived in Kyiv on Monday to join President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for official Independence Day events as the war with Russia enters its fifth year. The delegation, which included UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on his first overseas trip since taking office, European Council President Antonio Costa and other dignitaries, affirmed continued support for Ukraine.
"For Ukraine, independence is not an abstract idea. We defended it against all odds," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on social media, adding that the crisis underscores the importance of allied assistance.
Burnham co-chaired a meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing," a group of countries aiding Ukraine, and is expected to announce that the UK will permit defense firm MBDA to share classified information on British components of the SCALP long-range missile, facilitating plans for joint French-Ukrainian production in Ukraine. The SCALP missile is the French counterpart to the UK's Storm Shadow, both using shared technology.
Leaders reiterated commitments to provide further military and financial resources. The visit coincided with intensified aerial attacks on both sides, including Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil facilities and logistics centers of the e-commerce retailer Ozon, which resulted in civilian casualties in Krasnodar. Russia's defense ministry reported intercepting 351 Ukrainian drones across eight regions and continuing strikes on Ukrainian ports and supply vessels.
The gatherings highlight ongoing diplomatic and material backing for Ukraine from Europe as the conflict persists without a decisive shift on the front lines.