Europe stands with Ukraine as Independence Day celebrations take place under shadow of war

Ukraine marked 35 years of independence Monday with a strong show of European solidarity, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed foreign leaders to Kyiv while Russian and Ukrainian forces continued trading attacks.

The anniversary brought together senior officials from across Europe, including British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, European Council President António Costa, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Moldovan President Maia Sandu.

Their presence was intended to demonstrate continued European backing for Kyiv at a time when the war remains unresolved and efforts to reach a ceasefire have produced little progress.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s independence had become inseparable from the wider security of Europe, arguing that the outcome of the war would affect countries well beyond Ukraine’s borders.

The day’s events also focused heavily on military cooperation.

Britain said it would help clear the way for Ukraine and France to advance plans for producing the SCALP long-range missile in Ukraine. The weapon shares technology with Britain’s Storm Shadow missile and would give Kyiv another potential source of long-range firepower.

Burnham also called for greater international pressure on Russia and increased efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses.

The announcements came as Ukraine faces continued shortages of sophisticated systems needed to protect its cities and infrastructure from Russian missile attacks.

Ukraine has increasingly turned to its own defense industry, particularly drone technology, to compensate for shortages and strike targets far beyond the front line. Ukrainian drones have been used against Russian military and industrial facilities, including sites linked to the energy sector.

Russia has responded with its own extensive missile and drone campaign against Ukraine.

On Monday, Ukrainian officials reported Russian attacks in Odesa and Chernihiv. Food storage facilities and energy infrastructure were among the reported targets in the Odesa region, while Ukrainian emergency authorities said 18 people, including two children, were hurt in a drone attack on Chernihiv.

Russian officials, meanwhile, reported Ukrainian drone strikes in southern Russia. Three teenagers were killed and several other children wounded in the Krasnodar region, according to Russian authorities.

The competing claims could not be independently verified.

The violence provided a stark backdrop to Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations.

Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, but the country has spent much of the past decade confronting Russian military intervention. Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

More than four years later, the fighting continues with neither side appearing close to a decisive victory. Front-line changes have been limited in recent months, while attacks increasingly target cities, infrastructure and industrial facilities far from the main battlefield.

The gathering in Kyiv also brought together members of the so-called Coalition of the Willing, reflecting Europe’s growing role in supporting Ukraine.

For Kyiv, the anniversary was therefore both a national celebration and a demonstration of continued resistance.

Zelenskyy used the occasion to emphasize that Ukraine’s struggle is not being fought in isolation, while European leaders sought to reassure the country that support would continue as the war enters another difficult phase.