Third anniversary of the war in Ukraine: negotiations, sanctions and aid in search of 'a real and lasting peace'

Ukraine marked the third anniversary of the Russian invasion under the shadow of airstrike alerts and the visit of 13 foreign leaders, as peace talks led by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin aimed to end the war. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged another 3.5 billion euros (about $3.66 billion) to Kiev to prevent what she called the "capitulation" sought by the Kremlin and announced new economic sanctions against Moscow.

After once again criticizing the U.S. president's stance and calling for the inclusion of Kiev and Brussels in the negotiations, von der Leyen justified the economic support to Zelensky, stating, "The war in Ukraine remains the most central and consequential crisis for Europe's future. Putin is trying harder than ever to win this war. His goal remains Ukraine's capitulation." 

In addition to the aid, Europe announced its 16th package of sanctions against Russia, targeting aluminum imports and the "ghost fleet" of ships Moscow is allegedly using to bypass European blockades and sell its raw materials. Foreign Affairs Commissioner Kaja Kallas stated, "There is no doubt about who the aggressor is, who should pay, and who should be held responsible for this war. With the ongoing talks to put an end to Russia's aggression, we must place Ukraine in the strongest possible position."

Russia accuses Europe of wanting to "continue the war"

The gesture and statements were quickly criticized by the Kremlin through its spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, who accused European leaders of wanting to "continue the war": "The Europeans continue on the path (...) of continuing the war. This conviction of the Europeans contrasts completely with the desire to find an agreement on Ukraine, which is what we are currently doing with the Americans."

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov assured that his country, despite being willing to negotiate peace—as it has done with the U.S.—will only halt its offensive when it "suits" Moscow: "We will stop hostilities only when these negotiations produce a firm and sustainable result that suits the Russian Federation."

Zelensky calls for "winning peace through strength, wisdom and unity"

Zelensky expressed his hope that this would be the last anniversary of the war, achieved through a "real and lasting" peace: "This year should be the year of the beginning of a real and lasting peace. Putin will not give us peace or give it to us in exchange for something. We have to win peace through strength and wisdom and unity."

The Ukrainian president, who on Sunday offered to resign if it would bring peace or facilitate his country's entry into NATO, called for a full prisoner exchange as a starting point for negotiations: "Russia must release the Ukrainians. Ukraine is ready to exchange all for all, and this is a fair option to begin with."