European leaders convened in Kyiv on Monday to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, while top U.S. officials were notably absent, highlighting a shift in Washington’s approach under President Donald Trump.
Amid strained relations between the U.S. and Ukraine, Kyiv announced it was finalizing an agreement with Washington granting access to Ukraine’s mineral wealth. Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna expressed hope that both nations’ leaders would sign the deal in Washington soon.
During a meeting with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump indicated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could travel to Washington in the coming weeks to finalize the minerals agreement, which he described as “very close.” Trump also suggested the war could end within weeks but did not elaborate.
Kyiv has insisted on security guarantees as part of the deal, rejecting an earlier draft that proposed $500 billion in U.S. access to Ukrainian resources without equivalent aid commitments. A Ukrainian official said Washington had yet to respond to the final revisions, with security guarantees remaining a key point of contention.
Zelenskyy hosted a summit of European leaders in Kyiv, urging continued support for Ukraine’s defense. “This year should be the beginning of real, lasting peace,” he said, emphasizing that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not voluntarily end the conflict.
Attendees included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and leaders from Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. Other leaders from the UK, Germany, Poland, Japan, and Turkey joined via video link. Notably, no U.S. representatives participated.
Von der Leyen stated that Ukraine could join the European Union by 2030 if it maintained its reform pace. European officials reaffirmed their commitment to Kyiv, with some stressing the urgent need for increased defense spending.
Trump’s direct negotiations with Russia—excluding both Ukraine and European allies—have unsettled European officials. The Trump administration’s warning that U.S. security priorities were shifting away from Europe further deepened concerns.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged that Trump’s actions had left European leaders “worried” but expressed hope for maintaining transatlantic ties. “The statements coming from the U.S. make us all concerned,” she said after an EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels. “But we have worked through differences before, and we expect to do so again.”
At the United Nations, rival resolutions exposed widening divides between the U.S., Ukraine, and Europe. The U.S. abstained from voting on its own proposed resolution after European nations successfully amended it.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he had held discussions with Group of Seven leaders, including Macron, about ending the war. He also suggested he was open to visiting Moscow and was engaged in “serious discussions” with Putin about both ending the war and potential economic agreements between the U.S. and Russia.
Macron, during a meeting with Trump at the White House, reiterated Europe’s willingness to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, including potential peacekeeping forces in the event of a ceasefire. However, Washington has made clear it will not send troops, leaving Europe to shoulder the security burden.
Since the start of the war, thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died, and more than six million remain displaced abroad. Military casualties on both sides are estimated in the hundreds of thousands.
On the battlefield, Ukraine reported that Russia launched 185 drones overnight without causing significant damage. Meanwhile, Kyiv claimed responsibility for striking Russia’s Ryazan refinery, continuing its strategic attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.
