On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said President Putin had failed in his central objectives to seize Kyiv swiftly, topple Ukraine’s leadership and break the country’s resistance.
“Putin has not achieved his goals. He has not broken Ukrainians; he has not won this war,” Zelensky said in a statement marking the anniversary. He described the invasion, which began with what he called a “three-day push to take Kyiv,” as a miscalculation that underestimated Ukraine’s resolve.
“We have defended our independence. We have not lost our statehood,” he said, adding that Ukraine would continue working to secure “peace and justice.”
European leaders marked the anniversary with a coordinated show of political support and renewed calls for pressure on Moscow.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged European governments not to weaken in their backing of Kyiv. “We stand at a crossroads that could decide the fate of our entire continent,” he said, framing the war as a defining moment for Europe’s security order.
President Emmanuel Macron of France said the invasion was a “war of aggression” that had brought widespread destruction to Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. He argued that the conflict had ultimately backfired on Moscow, strengthening NATO and uniting Europe. Mr. Macron said the European Union would press ahead with a 20th package of sanctions and continue supplying equipment, ammunition and air defense systems to Ukraine.
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said that pressure in peace negotiations appeared to be falling disproportionately on Ukraine. “If we want this war to stop and any peace to last, we need to see concessions from Russia,” she said. “It’s not Ukraine’s army that is the obstacle to peace — Russia’s army is.”
Britain’s prime minister, Keir Starmer, pledged expanded military, humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. “Russia will not win this war,” he said, adding that Britain would stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes for a just and lasting peace.”
Maia Sandu, the president of Moldova, thanked Ukraine for defending not only its own sovereignty but also regional stability. “Thank you for keeping Russia away from our country — and for protecting Europe,” she said.
In Brussels, the European External Action Service raised the Ukrainian flag alongside the European Union flag at its headquarters for the first time, calling it a sign that “Ukraine’s future lies within the E.U.”
The war has become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, though its initial assault on Kyiv was repelled and the front lines have largely stabilized since late 2022.
Independent Russian outlet Mediazona has verified more than 186,000 Russian combat deaths, a figure that does not include missing soldiers and is widely regarded as a partial count. Mr. Zelensky said that last month alone Russia launched about 6,000 drones, more than 150 missiles and at least 5,000 glide bombs against Ukraine. He added that between 30,000 and 35,000 Russian soldiers were killed or severely wounded in a single month of fighting.
The economic toll has been immense. The World Bank recently raised its estimate of Ukraine’s reconstruction costs to $588 billion as of the end of last year, up from $524 billion previously.
Diplomatic efforts have continued, including peace talks earlier this month in Geneva, but core disputes over territory and security guarantees remain unresolved.
Britain announced what it described as its largest sanctions package since the early months of the war, targeting nearly 300 Russian entities and individuals.
Among them was Transneft, the state pipeline company that transports more than 80 percent of Russia’s crude exports. British officials said the measures were aimed at cutting Moscow’s energy revenues and limiting its ability to finance the war. The sanctions also targeted companies in Russia’s liquefied natural gas sector, several banks and firms linked to the civil nuclear industry.
Russian officials say they are not prepared to change their position. Moscow is demanding that the entirety of the Donbas region, as well as Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, be recognized as Russian territory and has ruled out territorial concessions — a key obstacle in negotiations.
Despite mounting casualties and economic pressure from Western sanctions, the Kremlin says its economy is functioning and that its forces are advancing. Ukraine, for its part, has rejected any settlement that would formalize Russia’s territorial gains.
Four years after the invasion began, both sides remain entrenched — and a negotiated end to the war appears distant.
