KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada are in Ukraine's capital to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion. The visitors, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, are attending events and discussing support with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The anniversary is marked as U.S. policies on Russia and Ukraine shift dramatically under President Donald Trump. Questions about possible peace talks and Ukraine's interest in European Union and NATO membership loom large.
Here's the latest:
Zelenskyy calls for deterrence to stop further Russian aggression
KYIV, Ukraine — “We hope that we can finish this war this year,†Zelenskyy said, reflecting on the toll the conflict has taken on his country and its soldiers on the front line.
Still, he said, preventing renewed aggression from the Russians after a cessation of fighting will require Ukraine and its allies to “put them to their place, to their territory,†and to create a security infrastructure that will act as a deterrent.
“If Ukraine will be in EU and NATO in closest years, of course it will help us very much, and I think that they will not come back,†he said.
“We will have a strong army and strong allies and strong unity, to my mind, because (Russia) will never forgive the world that they didn’t win.â€
Estonia warns against an unjust peace
KYIV, Ukraine — Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal warned that an “unjust peace†in Ukraine would threaten Europe and the broader world by demonstrating to other actors around the globe that aggression such as Russia’s is tolerated.
“We have a common enemy and a common fight,†said Michal, whose country shares a border with Russia. “Ukraine is fighting ... also for Europe and Nordics and Baltics, everybody.
“An unjust peace probably would hit everybody, also the United States, because Iran, North Korea, everybody would assess that they can do whatever they want.â€
EU says Moscow must show willingness for peace in return for sanctions relief
KYIV, Ukraine — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said any discussion of providing sanctions relief to Russia could only begin once Moscow has demonstrated that it is committed to working with Western countries on achieving a lasting peace.
“These sanctions are part of our approach that we want peace through strength,†she said at a conference in Kyiv with Western leaders. “It’s very clear that unless Russia demonstrates by facts the true willingness to achieve a lasting and just peace agreement, we will increase punitive sanctions against Russia.â€
EU Council President Antonio Costa said that all the European leaders gathered “welcome the huge efforts from President Trump to push Putin and Russia to negotiation. And I wish that these bilateral talks open the door for a (real) peace negotiation.â€
But, Costa added, “only Ukraine can decide when we have conditions to do this.â€
UK imposes new sanctions on Russia and its ally North Korea
LONDON — Britain has imposed sanctions on 107 businesses and individuals in what it calls its biggest package targeting Russia’s war machine since the early days of the conflict.
The measures target Russia’s military supply chains, including companies in several countries — notably China — that Britain says are supplying machine tools, electronics and dual-use goods for Russia’s military.
Fourteen wealthy Russian businesspeople get asset freezes and travel bans, including billionaire Roman Trotsenko.
The U.K. is seeking to squeeze the Kremlin’s finances by sanctioning a bank in Kyrgyzstan and 40 ships in the “shadow fleet†of vessels carrying Russian oil around the world.
The sanctions also target North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol and senior military officers in the country, which has sent thousands of troops to fight alongside Russia against Ukraine.
Scandinavian countries increase military aid
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — The governments in Sweden and Denmark have pledged more military and humanitarian support for Ukraine as the Trump administration calls for Europe’s greater investment in its own defense.
The Swedish government said it will spend the equivalent of some $11.2 million on Robot 70 and Tridon Mk2 air defense systems to be donated to Ukraine. Sweden will contribute to a donation by some countries of portable air defense missiles.
Denmark has pledged an equivalent of $280 million in ammunition for Ukraine.
Estonia will not recognize borders ‘moved by tanks and missiles’
TALLINN, Estonia — Estonia will never recognize borders that have been shifted by force, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said.
Pevkur was also speaking to mark Estonia’s independence day.
“Let it be reaffirmed that Estonia will never recognize borders moved by tanks and missiles, and Estonia will help Ukrainians fight for their land and people, because the values ​​that Ukraine is currently fighting for are directly related to our values ​​and freedoms,†Pevkur said in Tallinn’s Freedom Square.
Spain pledges aid to Ukraine as Denmark calls for more defense spending
KYIV, Ukraine — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said his country would provide a 1 billion-euro ($1.05 billion) military systems package to Ukraine this year. He said Ukraine’s accession into the EU would be “the most important victory for the Ukrainian people.â€
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen echoed calls from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a more robust European security regime.
Frederiksen said NATO defense spending goals of 3% of gross domestic product were “simply not enough.†She said that European leaders have “a couple of months to take all necessary decisions, otherwise it will be too late."
Starmer reaffirms willingness to send troops to Ukraine
LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Trump’s intervention had “changed the global conversation†and “created an opportunity.â€
Starmer said Ukraine must have a seat at the table and strong security guarantees in any settlement, and reaffirmed that Britain is prepared to put troops on the ground as part of that process. He repeated his call for a U.S. backstop that “will be vital to deter Russia from launching another invasion in just a few years’ time.†However, President Trump has so far shown little interest in the idea.
The U.K. is imposing its biggest package of sanctions since the early days of the war, targeting Russia’s shadow fleet and companies in China and elsewhere that send military components to Russia.
Russia stands firm on opposition to Ukraine joining NATO
ANKARA, Turkey — Lavrov insists that Ukraine must be barred from NATO membership as part of the talks to end the war in Ukraine.
“Ukraine’s absolute non-accession to NATO is also a must. There must be a clear, iron-solid agreement on this," Lavrov said. "At the meeting in Riyadh with our American colleagues, we welcomed the fact that President Trump has publicly and repeatedly called the line on pulling Ukraine into NATO a mistake.â€
In July, a NATO summit declaration said Ukraine was on an to membership in the alliance. But in Brussels earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary said NATO membership for was unrealistic and suggested Kyiv should abandon hopes of winning all its territory back from Russia.
Von der Leyen says securing Ukraine's sovereignty will prevent future wars
KYIV, Ukraine — The destiny of Ukraine and the European Union are at stake in discussions over how the war can end, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
“The autocrats around the world are watching very carefully whether there’s any impunity if you violate international borders or invade your neighbor, or if there is true deterrence," she said.
Von der Leyen said securing Ukraine’s sovereignty would prevent future wars, and its “highly innovative and thriving defense industry†should be integrated into EU defense, with Ukraine as a member of the bloc.
Von der Leyen said she would present a “comprehensive†investment plan that would ramp up arms production and defense capabilities for the EU and Ukraine at an emergency meeting of EU leaders on March 6.
She also said the EU’s executive commission had developed an energy security plan that would “fully integrate†Ukraine and Moldova’s energy markets into the bloc by the end of 2026 — a response, she said, to Russia’s “relentless†targeting of Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
The EU would “seize the full potential of Ukraine’s vast gas storages, of which 80% are located closer to the EU member states, and this will generate income for Ukraine,†von der Leyen said.
Turkey offers to mediate in talks to end the war
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has voiced support for U.S. efforts to end the war in Ukraine and renewed a long-standing Turkish offer to mediate in negotiations.
“We attach great importance to the new initiative of the United States, as a result-oriented approach," Fidan said at a joint news conference with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
Lavrov, who met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh last week, said Russian and U.S. officials would soon hold comprehensive consultations toward the “normalization of embassy operations†in Moscow and Washington.
Turkey has balanced its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia and positioned itself as one of the few countries that can hold talks with both sides. It hosted peace talks in 2022. No agreement was reached.
Trudeau says no lasting peace without Ukraine at the table
KYIV, Ukraine — Trudeau framed the war in Ukraine and its potential resolution in terms of the post-World War II security order, rather than returning "to an era where might makes right.â€
Trudeau said Canada would provide Ukraine with additional armored vehicles that Ukrainian soldiers would soon be trained on in Germany. He said landing systems for F-16 fighter jets had been delivered and flight simulators would be delivered in coming months.
“Ukrainians will triumph because Ukrainians are fighting for what is right. But they cannot and should not do it alone,†Trudeau said.
Russia is willing to negotiate with Ukraine and Europe, Lavrov says
ANKARA, Turkey — Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Putin has made clear that Russia is “ready to negotiate with both Ukraine and Europe†but will stop military hostilities only when negotiations yield a “firm, sustainable result†which suits Russia.
Lavrov suggested the position of Ukraine and European countries is changing frequently and that “against this background, the position of the United States stands out.â€
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø leader pledges support for Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine — ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has praised President Zelenskyy's “remarkable personal bravery, resilience and resolve.â€
Trudeau also pushed back on Russia's narrative, echoed in recent days by U.S. President Donald Trump, that Ukraine bore responsibility for igniting the conflict.
“This is a war started for one reason and one reason only: Russia’s desire to erase Ukrainian history and expand their empire," Trudeau said.
‘We will see a European Ukraine,’ Finnish president says
KYIV, Ukraine — Finnish President Alexander Stubb says that “we will see a European Ukraine. We will see eventually Ukraine in NATO."
He also 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" to end the war in Ukraine. They include EU membership and NATO membership.
Stubb said the “European security order†already in place should remain steadfast.
Putin and Xi speak, underscoring close Russia-China ties
BEIJING — China’s President Xi Jinping had a call with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Monday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
It did not give details. The two leaders are known to have a close relationship, reflected in bilateral ties. China has become a and a source of key technologies amid Western sanctions on Moscow.
Russia decries new EU sanctions and praises US approach
MOSCOW — Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia does not see any way to resume “dialogue with Europe†after the EU adopted its 16th round of sanctions against Moscow.
Peskov said that contrasts with searching for ways to resolve “the conflict around Ukraine, which is what we are currently doing with the Americans." He welcomed “attempts by Washington to really understand what was the root cause of this conflict.â€
Czech leader warns against ‘peace at any cost’
KYIV, Ukraine — Czech President Petr Pavel said via remote link he has “no doubt that the ultimate goal of this aggression has always been to wipe Ukraine as we know it off the map.â€
Pavel spoke to a gathering of European leaders in Kyiv.
Incendiary device targets Russian Consulate in France
PARIS — French authorities say an incendiary device has exploded outside the Russian Consulate in the southern city of Marseille. No injuries were reported.
A second device was thrown against the consulate’s outer wall but did not explode. Authorities did not provide details on the suspect or a motive.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the incident has “all the hallmarks of a terrorist attack.â€
EU brings new sanctions against Russia
BRUSSELS — European Union foreign ministers have approved new sanctions against Russia which enter force on the third anniversary of its .
They include measures targeting Russia’s so-called “ †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.
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, including .
