Ukrainians, Poles rally in Warsaw on war's anniversary
Ukrainians and Poles rallied in Warsaw on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion and the start of all-out war in Ukraine.
While protesters held up signs calling for Russia to stop attacking and for President Vladimir Putin to be jailed, there was also criticism for the United States and President Donald Trump.
European officials have been left flat-footed by Trump's decisions to hold talks on ending the war in Ukraine with Russia, spurring both Kyiv and Europe, as well as his calling President Volodymyr Zelenskiy a "dictator".
Thousands of Ukrainian citizens have died and more than six million live as refugees abroad since Putin ordered the invasion by land, sea and air.
Military losses have been catastrophic, although they remain closely guarded secrets.
Ukraine could join the European Union before 2030 if the country continues its reforms at their current speed and quality, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Kyiv.
"I really appreciate the political will that is there. I would even say Ukraine's merit-based process, if they continue at that speed and at that quality, perhaps they could be earlier than 2030," Von der Leyen said.
"We hope that we can finish this war this year, not in three years. It's very-very difficult, very difficult for all our nation to go through this war, but with all respect to our soldiers and our people. So I can't speak for about three years. If we speak about how to prepare for security because Russia, they can come back in ten years if we are not prepared. They will not come back if we will pressure them, put them in their place, in their territory and if Ukraine will be in the EU and in NATO in the next few years, of course it will help us very much," Zelensky said.
These developments coincide with the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, during which European and Canadian leaders convened in Kyiv to reaffirm their support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
