European Leaders Mark Independence Day in Kyiv During Invasion

European leaders gathered in Kyiv on Monday, August 24, 2026, to mark Ukraine's Independence Day and demonstrate solidarity with the country nearly four and a half years into Russia's full-scale invasion. The official celebrations for the 35th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union coincided with a high-level meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, a group coordinating international support for Kyiv.

Leaders from Nordic and Baltic nations, including Finland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, and Norway, arrived in the capital on Sunday, August 23. They were joined on Monday by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who made his first overseas trip since taking office, as well as European Council President António Costa. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz were set to participate in the Coalition of the Willing meeting online.

"We defended it against all odds," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated on social media, underscoring the personal significance of independence to Ukrainians. The visiting dignitaries participated in a flag-raising ceremony on Sunday and held bilateral talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy....