High-level gathering in Kyiv: Leaders attending summit on 3rd anniversary of full-scale war
Photo: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
A summit will be held in Kyiv to mark the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the participation of partner countries and European officials. Some will arrive in the capital in person, while others will join online.
RBC-Ukraine provides details below on who will come to Kyiv for the summit on February 24.
Contents
- EU leaders to visit Kyiv
- Who will represent which countries at the summit
- Ukraine prepares Kyiv summit for the 3rd anniversary of the full-scale war
- What led up to this
EU leaders to visit Kyiv
European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced their visit to the Ukrainian capital on Monday, February 24.
"Monday, February 24, marks the third anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine," Costa wrote on Twitter (X).
He noted that he would visit Kyiv alongside the European Commission president to reaffirm support for the heroic Ukrainian people and democratically elected President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Additionally, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that a delegation of European commissioners would also arrive in Kyiv on the anniversary.
"The government, together with colleagues from the European Commission, will hold joint consultations. A series of bilateral meetings is planned. We will discuss cooperation in security and defense, strengthening sanctions against the aggressor, economic ties between Ukraine and the EU, and European integration," Shmyhal said.
Who will represent which countries at the summit
Lithuania
Among the guests will be Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, who confirmed his attendance to journalists at the Presidential Palace on the evening of February 19.
"This visit is organized to mark the third anniversary of the war. Yes, at that time, we will be in Ukraine. Many leaders will attend as well. This will undoubtedly go beyond just the Baltic countries or even the Baltic and Nordic countries," Nausėda stated.
According to him, the summit will provide another opportunity for partners "to discuss recent developments and what needs to be done in the near future."
Spain
Spain will be represented at the summit by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. He announced his planned visit to Kyiv on Twitter (X).
"On Monday (February 24), I will be in Kyiv to reaffirm Spain’s support for Ukrainian democracy and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy," Sánchez stated.
Ukraine prepares Kyiv summit for the 3rd anniversary of the full-scale war
As previously announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine is organizing a meeting of partner country leaders in Kyiv on Monday, February 24. According to Zelenskyy, the summit aims to provide a clear vision for the next steps regarding peace, security guarantees, and the future of collective Western policy.
"We are already working to ensure that on February 24, the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, we can gather together in Kyiv and online. All European leaders. All key partners who safeguard our security. From Spain to Finland. From Britain to Poland. From Washington to Tokyo," the president stated.
Recently, he clarified that some representatives will attend in person, while others will join virtually. Zelenskyy also expressed hope that the summit will have a strong and high-level presence.
What led up to this
Ahead of the third anniversary of the war, a meeting between US and Russian delegations took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, February 18, lasting four and a half hours.
This was the first high-level discussion between the American and Russian sides since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Following the talks, the US State Department announced that Washington and Moscow had agreed to "appoint high-level groups to begin work on an expedited resolution of the conflict in Ukraine." However, neither Ukraine nor European leaders were invited to the negotiations.
In response, informal summits on Ukraine and European security were held in France on Monday and Wednesday. The first emergency summit was convened by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday.
The meeting was attended by the heads of government from Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy, as well as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President António Costa.
Later, a second meeting was held. On Wednesday, representatives from Norway, Canada, the Baltic states, Czechia, Greece, Finland, Romania, Sweden, and Belgium were invited.
Following the US-Russia meeting in Riyadh, US President Donald Trump launched an unfounded wave of criticism against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump specifically hinted at the necessity of holding elections in Ukraine, falsely claiming that Zelenskyy’s approval rating among Ukrainians was only 4%, despite the actual number being significantly higher. Zelenskyy responded by stating that Trump, unfortunately, "lives in a disinformation space" created by Russia. More on this can be found in a separate RBC-Ukraine report.
Sources: statements from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and various foreign leaders and government officials.
