Ukraine urged the West to unite as it marked three years of all-out war with Russia and heard pledges of solidarity from European leaders, amid tension with Washington and Kremlin praise for US president Donald Trump.
In an extraordinary development, the US sided with Russia at the UN General Assembly in opposing a resolution by Ukraine and other European states, which was passed, urging support for Kyiv.
French president Emmanuel Macron said a truce “could be done in the weeks to come”, shortly after meeting Mr Trump at the White House where he told the US president a deal should not mean the “surrender” of Ukraine.
“[A] truce on air, sea [and] infrastructure,” the French president told Fox News. “If it is not respected, it will be the best evidence of the fact that Russia is not serious.
“We want peace. And I think the initiative of president Trump is a very positive one. But my message was to say be careful because we need something substantial for Ukraine,” he added.
The US was also at loggerheads with other members of the G7 group of rich nations, with the White House reportedly opposing language that would denounce Russia as the aggressor in the war.
Top European Union officials and the heads of at least nine states visited Kyiv for the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of its pro-western neighbour, while the leaders of more than 10 other countries joined the meeting by video link. No senior US official attended in person but Mr Trump took part remotely in talks between G7 leaders and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
“February 24th did not become a happy day for Putin precisely because we all united – Ukrainians in their own home, Europeans on their continent, America united with Europe, the G7, and all those in the world who felt how unjust Russia’s invasion is,” Mr Zelenskiy told his assembled guests.
“Now, we must do more than yesterday. Support each other more than ever before. So that this year we can say that we did everything we could and had to do, and that peace – peace is here.”
[ Trump says Putin will accept European peacekeepers in UkraineOpens in new window ]
Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the conference that Ireland will “say more, spend more and do more” to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia.
Speaking by video link to the conference, which was attended in person by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and foreign policy chief António Costa, Mr Martin promised to increase Ireland’s assistance to Ukraine and to support strengthened measures when EU leaders meet next week for another emergency summit.
“For a small country like Ireland, the international rules-based order is ultimately the only basis for our security,” Mr Martin said, adding that by fighting to resist the Russian aggression, Ukrainians were fighting to “uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter” and values that protect other small countries.
The gathering was overshadowed by a sea change in the US attitude to Ukraine and Europe under Mr Trump, who has accused Kyiv of starting the war, called Mr Zelenskiy a “dictator” and belittled European leaders during recent salvos of false claims and threats.
[ Talks with US on natural resources deal are in ‘final stages’, Ukraine saysOpens in new window ]
Washington has told Ukraine not to expect to regain all occupied territory, join Nato or secure US peacekeepers as part of any peace deal – meeting three of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s key conditions while making no demands of him. The US has also made clear that while Ukraine will probably join its talks with Russia at some point, Europe might be excluded altogether.
“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,” said Ms von der Leyen.
As the EU unveiled new sanctions against Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow saw “no grounds for resuming dialogue with Europe”, and praised Mr Trump’s criticism of Mr Zelenskiy.
“This is what we welcome and support. Secondly, we hope Washington will fully analyse the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict,” he said, referring to Russia’s claim that its security was threatened by Ukraine’s bid to join Nato, and its false allegation that the country’s Russian speakers were oppressed.
