Name: Western Leaders Arrive in Kyiv to Mark 3 Years Since Start of Russian Invasion
Uploaded: 2025-02-25T09:11:06.000Z
Description: Several Western leaders <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-anniversary-84e4c62519fc15b34e17f661cf3dd20e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived in Kyiv</a> on Feb. 24 to mark the passage of three years since Russia launched its initial invasion of eastern Ukraine.

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the United States and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Lawmakers Probe CCP Threat Inside America

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

Hezbollah Terrorist Group Rejects US-Brokered Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Photojournalist Recounts 1989 Tiananmen Massacre Experience

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Lawmakers Remember Tiananmen Square Massacre

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's national security correspondent. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

New York on World Cup 2026: 'We've Got This'

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Tankman ‘Stands for Freedom’ 37 Years After Tiananmen Massacre, Explains Victims of Communism Memorial Chairman

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Hilton Holds Strong Lead in California’s Governor Race

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

2 Fans Get Permanent NBA Ban After Game 1 Selfie

What the People Say: Does Government Weaponize Agencies Against Political Opponents?

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

ICE Protests and Doxing Discussed at House DHS Hearing

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 4)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 3)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 2)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 1)

Chris Beers is an NTD News anchor and political correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Chris co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Chris Beers

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 31)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 29)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 28)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 27)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 26)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 25)

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

State News

California

More Than 17,000 Under Evacuation Orders as Southern California Wildfire Threatens Homes

Rudy Blalock is a Southern California-based daily news reporter for NTD. Originally from Michigan, he moved to California in 2017 and the sunshine and ocean have kept him here since. In his free time, he may be found underwater scuba diving, on top of a mountain hiking or snowboarding, or at home meditating—which helps fuel his active lifestyle.

Rudy Blalock

40,000 Ordered to Evacuate as Chemical Tank Leaks, Threatens Explosion in California

Video of US Fighter Jet Shooting Down UFO Over Lake Huron Emerges in New Pentagon Files

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Government Sues Chick-fil-A Over Religious Rights

Sports News

Kyle Busch, Two-Time NASCAR Champion, Dies at 41

Haika Mrema

Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Mountains Kills 4, Sparks Wildfire

Mary Man is a writer for NTD. She has traveled around the world covering China, international news, and arts and culture.

Mary Man

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

China News

Epoch Times Obtains Over 2,000 Unseen Tiananmen Square Photos on 37th Anniversary of the June 4th Massacre

California Mayor Resigns, Will Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

Trump Calls Iran's Response to Latest US Ceasefire Proposal 'Totally Unacceptable'

Several Western leaders <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-anniversary-84e4c62519fc15b34e17f661cf3dd20e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived in Kyiv</a> on Feb. 24 to mark the passage of three years since Russia launched its initial invasion of eastern Ukraine.

Visitors included the leaders of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

The high-profile guests were welcomed at Kyiv’s train station by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and presidential chief-of-staff Andrii Yermak.

Shortly before her arrival, von der Leyen <a href="https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1893892943712301259" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">wrote</a> on social media platform X that Europe was visiting Kyiv “because Ukraine is in Europe.”

“In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake,” she wrote. “It’s Europe’s destiny.”

Western leaders will attend several events marking the passage of three years since Russia sent troops into eastern Ukraine, four regions of which Moscow later effectively annexed.

They are also expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and reiterate their countries’ support for Kyiv’s embattled war effort.

The war anniversary coincides with a critical juncture for Ukraine and its main European backers.

In recent weeks, Russian forces have continued to make gains in the Donbas region (comprising Luhansk and Donetsk), where they have captured several key positions.

Russian battlefield gains have coincided with a U.S. policy shift under U.S. President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House last month on promises to resolve the three-year-old conflict.
<h2>‘A Lot of Contacts’</h2>
Last week, top U.S. and Russian diplomatic officials held landmark talks in Saudi Arabia. European and Ukrainian representatives were not invited.

Both sides hailed the talks as constructive, with U.S. officials signaling an intention to reestablish diplomatic ties with Moscow and resume bilateral cooperation.

On Feb. 22, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said preparations were in the works for a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The next day, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, said that “<a href="https://tass.com/politics/1917689" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quite a lot of contacts</a>” were now underway between leading U.S. and Russian officials.

“Communication is maintained in various spheres,” Ryabkov told Russia’s TASS news agency on Feb. 23. “And it often doesn’t take long to agree them.”

Several European capitals have demanded a presence at any negotiations over Ukraine’s future.

As Western leaders arrived in Kyiv, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that any talks aimed at ending the conflict must include Ukraine, along with the latter’s main European supporters.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Kallas drew attention to what she claimed were pro-Russian positions being adopted by the Trump administration.

“If you look at the messages that come from the United States, then it’s clear that the Russian narrative is very strongly represented,” she said.

Last week, Trump described Zelenskyy, whose presidential term expired last year, as an unpopular “dictator” and called on Kyiv to hold fresh elections as soon as possible.

Zelenskyy responded by suggesting the U.S. president had been duped by Russian “disinformation.”

Kallas, who will visit Washington this week for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio, said that Trump was free to discuss whatever he wanted with Putin.

“But if it comes to Europe or Ukraine, then Ukraine and Europe also have to agree to this deal,” she said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are both set to visit the United States this week in hopes of persuading the Trump administration not to abandon Ukraine in pursuit of a peace deal with Russia.

A day before he arrived in Kyiv, Costa unveiled plans to convene an emergency meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on March 6, with Ukraine topping the agenda.

“We are living a defining moment for Ukraine and European security,” Costa <a href="https://x.com/eucopresident/status/1893707647565881651" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">wrote</a> in a post on social media platform X.

<em>The Associated Press contributed to this report.</em>

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/western-leaders-arrive-in-kyiv-to-mark-3-years-since-start-of-russian-invasion-5815271">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Videos

01_Lead Story

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Europe

Management

Russia–Ukraine War

Adam Morrow covers the Russia-Ukraine war for The Epoch Times.

Adam Morrow

02_Second Lead

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.