European leaders arrive in Kyiv on war's anniversary to reaffirm support for Ukraine
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
European leaders arrived in Kyiv on Feb. 24 to mark four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, as the country hosts a series of high-level meetings aimed at reinforcing Western support.
The visits coincide with gatherings of the Coalition of the Willing and the Ukraine–Nordic–Baltic summit, bringing together key European partners as the war enters its fifth year.
Among those arriving were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, alongside leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Croatia, Norway, and Sweden.
"In Kyiv for the tenth time since the start of the war," von der Leyen said. "To reaffirm that Europe stands unwaveringly with Ukraine, financially, militarily, and through this harsh winter."
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha welcomed the delegations at the Kyiv railway station, thanking them for their "unwavering support for Ukraine and our shared European values and principles."
The anniversary comes as the war continues to reshape Europe's security landscape.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the Kremlin appeared to expect a rapid advance on Kyiv that would quickly topple the Ukrainian government.
Ukrainian forces halted that push, turning what Moscow had anticipated as a short campaign into a prolonged war that has drawn in sustained Western military and financial backing for Kyiv.
