'Absolute heroism' Zelenskyy hails his compatriots as leaders visit Kyiv

World leaders gathered in Kyiv yesterday to show their continuing support for Ukraine on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion as Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the "absolute heroism of our people".

- Luke Harding

Thirteen leaders took an overnight train for a summit with Zelenskyy in the Ukrainian capital. They included the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, and Finland's president, Alexander Stubb.

Twenty-four joined online.

The coordinated Europe-led show of solidarity came after a torrid week in which Donald Trump blamed Ukraine for starting the war against Russia, described Zelenskyy as a "dictator without elections", and made it clear Europe would have to enforce and pay for any future peace settlement.

There was strong collective pushback against the US president's upside down version of recent history and a consensus that Ukraine had to take part in negotiations over its future. "The war is against Ukraine. So Ukraine has to be at the negotiating table," Zelenskyy told the visiting leaders, saying Europe had to be there, too. He added: "Peace can't be declared or announced." US and Russian negotiators are due to hold a second round of talks soon, after a meeting last week in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The White House has said the war could end "this week" raising fears that a quick US-Russia deal will echo Vladimir Putin's demands that Ukraine cede territory and capitulate.

At least seven European countries announced significant new packages of economic and military support to Kyiv yesterday, with von der Leyen promising a €3.5bn (£2.9bn) payment. The Trump administration has indicated that US weapons deliveries will probably stop and has said Ukraine would have to repay any future military assistance at double the actual price.