Kremlin vows to press ahead with Ukraine war aims as Europe marks four years since invasion – Europe live

From 54m agoRussia will press ahead with its war aims in Ukraine, Kremlin saysPjotr SauerRussian affairs reporterThe Kremlin said it was engaged in a broad confrontation with the west but insisted Moscow would press ahead with its war aims in Ukraine. Speaking on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed the west sought to “crush” Russia but had instead helped unite the country. “The past four years have been extremely significant in Russia’s life and will remain in people’s memory forever,” Peskov said, adding that the period had led to what he described as a “remarkable consolidation” of Russian society.“The goals haven’t been fully achieved yet, which is why the military operation continues,” he said. Peskov also echoed unsubstantiated claims by Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, which has accused Britain and France of preparing to arm Kyiv with a nuclear device, calling it a “flagrant violation of international law”, despite offering no evidence to support the allegation (10:00).Key events21m agoOver 200,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identified54m agoRussia will press ahead with its war aims in Ukraine, Kremlin says1h agoAsk your questions about Ukraine war for our live Q&A at 2pm UK, 3pm CET1h agoPutin is standing in way of peace, Starmer says, as he says Ukraine is 'frontline of our freedom' and marks its resilience1h agoUkraine needs 'ammunition today and every day' in its fight against 'Russian terror,' NATO's Rutte says2h agoRussia shows contempt for Europe, Zelenskyy warns2h agoWe must be as determined as when invasion began, Zelenskyy says, as he pushes for EU accession date2h agoUkraine never chose this war, Zelenskyy says2h agoUkrainian people 'stand defiant in face of almost unimaginable daily hardship,' EP president says2h agoZelenskyy urges Trump to visit Ukraine in first speech marking invasion anniversary2h agoEuropean Parliament sits to mark fourth anniversary of war2h agoRussia accuses Britain, France of preparing to arm Kyiv with nuclear bomb without any evidence2h agoEuropean leaders arrive in Kyiv to mark the fourth anniversary3h agoNato's Rutte marks fourth anniversary of war3h agoMorning opening: Four long yearsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this featureOver 200,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine identifiedPjotr SauerRussian affairs reporterRussian independent journalists said they had identified 200,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine as the war reached its fourth anniversary. Using official reports, online obituaries, images of tombstones and government leaks, Mediazona and the BBC’s Russian service have tracked confirmed military deaths since the first day of the invasion, building a key database that has become one of the clearest public indicators of Russia’s mounting losses. The outlets also mapped the geography of the casualties, documenting deaths across more than 27,000 cities, towns and villages, from the “Arctic to Dagestan and from Kaliningrad to Chukotka.”Western intelligence agencies believe the true toll is significantly higher, estimating that as many as 325,000 Russian troops may have been killed, as many deaths cannot be independently verified by journalists.By historical comparison, the losses are striking. In a recent report, the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) wrote that the “Russian battlefield fatalities in Ukraine were more than 17 times greater than Soviet losses in Afghanistan in the 1980s, 11 times higher than during Russia’s first and second Chechen wars, and more than five times greater than all Russian and Soviet conflicts combined since the second world war.” On the eve of the anniversary, Vladimir Putin met the widows of soldiers killed in the war in a carefully choreographed event aimed at projecting public support for the invasion.Russia will press ahead with its war aims in Ukraine, Kremlin saysPjotr SauerRussian affairs reporterThe Kremlin said it was engaged in a broad confrontation with the west but insisted Moscow would press ahead with its war aims in Ukraine. Speaking on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed the west sought to “crush” Russia but had instead helped unite the country. “The past four years have been extremely significant in Russia’s life and will remain in people’s memory forever,” Peskov said, adding that the period had led to what he described as a “remarkable consolidation” of Russian society.“The goals haven’t been fully achieved yet, which is why the military operation continues,” he said. Peskov also echoed unsubstantiated claims by Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, which has accused Britain and France of preparing to arm Kyiv with a nuclear device, calling it a “flagrant violation of international law”, despite offering no evidence to support the allegation (10:00).Ask your questions about Ukraine war for our live Q&A at 2pm UK, 3pm CETJakub KrupaIn today’s blog, we are covering all the key events as Ukraine and Europe mark the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian aggression in 2022.At 2pm UK (3pm CET) I will be joined by our correspondent Shaun Walker, the author of our brilliant long read on the build up to the war, how the CIA and MI6 got hold of Putin’s Ukraine plans and why nobody believed them – to answer your questions about the war.You can post your questions below the line, at the bottom of the blog.Putin is standing in way of peace, Starmer says, as he says Ukraine is 'frontline of our freedom' and marks its resilienceUK prime minister Keir Starmer has also delivered brief remarks on the fourth anniversary of the war at today’s cabinet meeting, praising Ukraine’s resilience.Starmer said “we must defeat the falsehood that Russia is winning,” saying it took only 0.8% of the Ukrainian territory in the last year “at a terrible cost … of half a million losses.”He says that “we all want a just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, and says “in terms of getting to that just and lasting peace, it is Putin who is standing in the way.”He says that’s why “we must always double down on our support for Ukraine” with capabilities, resources and more sanctions, with the UK announcing the latest round of targeted measures today.The prime minister also says: “This is not a remote conflict a long way away from the United Kingdom. It’s about us in so many levels. It’s about our values of freedom, democracy and the right of a country to decide for itself. … It has already impacted us over and above the work we’ve done on capability, resource sanctions, etc, because it has hit every family with the cost of living. … How and when this conflict ends is going to affect everybody in the United Kingdom for a very long time, which is why it’s so important that we make sure that it’s a just and lasting peace. Ukraine is very much the frontline of our freedom, and we need to bear that in mind as we mark this four years since the outbreak of this.” You can watch his remarks here:Keir Starmer makes remarks on anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine – watch liveUkraine needs 'ammunition today and every day' in its fight against 'Russian terror,' NATO's Rutte saysUkraine needs to get “ammunition today and every day until the bloodshop stops” along with the “essential” military, financial and humanitarian aid needed to fight against “Russian terror from the skies,” NATO’s secretary general Mark Rutte said this morning.In a speech in Brussels, he said that “Ukraine continues to blunt Russia’s aggression and despite Putin’s posturing, Russia has failed to meet their ambitions on the battlefield.” “Their security is our security. There cannot be true peace in Europe without real peace in Ukraine.” He added that Russia’s Vladimir Putin must also show “if he is serious about peace.”Referencing Winston Churchill’s speech from the second world war, saying that “our qualities and deeds must burn and glow through the gloom of Europe,” Rutte declared that “the flame of freedom is alive in Ukraine, and that flame continues to burn and glow.”Jakub KrupaIn the meantime, we got the text of Rutte’s speech at the NATO ceremony earlier, so let me bring you his lines now.Russia shows contempt for Europe, Zelenskyy warnsZelenskyy continues with a very strong line urging Europe to act against Russian interests in Europe as he says: “In many ways, we can see how Russia shows contempt for Europe, but Russians should learn that Europe is not just a land for the villas of Russian oligarchs. It’s not a museum for the lovers of Russian officials to admire beauty, another place of leisure for Russian killers. Russians must learn that Europe is a union of independent nations and millions of people who do not tolerate humiliation and will not accept violence.” He urges them to “continue to defend the European way of life”.He gets a long, standing ovation in response to his speech.We must be as determined as when invasion began, Zelenskyy says, as he pushes for EU accession dateZelenskyy says “we must be just as determined and strong as we were when the invasion began,” as “the threat hasn’t become smaller.”He says Europe can only respond to this war working together with the US, even as he remarks it “is not an easy task to maintain transatlantic unity and cooperation in the current conditions.”He says Europe and the US “must continue to formally apply the full range of protect[ive measures] against Russia,” in particular sanctions against anything that “fills Putin’s wallet with money and allows him to drag this war out.” “So there must be no place in the free world for Russian oil, for Russian tankers, Russian banks, Russian sanctions …, schemes, or for any Russian war criminals. The time has come to fully ban all participants in Russia’s aggression from entire Europe.” He says Ukraine needs strong security guarantees, and “a clear date for joining the EU,” warning that if Kyiv doesn’t get a clear political commitment on the date, Putin will do whatever he can do subverse it and delay the process.Ukraine never chose this war, Zelenskyy saysZelenskyy begins with the words of thanks for “constant attention, support and firm position on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.”“We truly feel that many Europeans do care about what will happen to Ukraine and whether we will be able to achieve a reliable and lasting peace,” he says.He stresses that Ukraine “never chose this war,” and tried “everything we [could] to stop it.”He says that in Russia, Europe faces “a mentality of an unstable dictatorship that cannot accept that in Europe every life matters, human rights are important, and nations are protected, big or small.”“Putin cannot accept one simple thing: that somewhere people can live differently and enjoy a life that is not the one he prefers,” he says.Zelenskyy says that Putin is actively “choosing” war and conflict, whether in Chechnya, Georgia, Syria, Africa or Iran.Ukrainian people 'stand defiant in face of almost unimaginable daily hardship,' EP president saysEuropean parliament’s president Roberta Metsola is speaking in Brussels, paying tribute to the Ukrainian people “standing defiant in the face of almost unimaginable daily hardship, through the depths of gruelling winters, even as drones fall indiscriminately, and Russian missiles target women and children.”Zelenskyy will speak next.Zelenskyy urges Trump to visit Ukraine in first speech marking invasion anniversaryEarlier this morning, Zelenskyy published an 18-minute address to the nation in which he has appealed to Donald Trump to visit Kyiv and has said Ukraine will not betray its people in any negotiations with Russia.Zelenskyy speaks from presidential bunker on fourth anniversary of Russia-Ukraine war – videoThe address included footage released for the first time from the underground bunker in Kyiv’s Bankova Street where Zelenskyy and his advisers worked and slept during the first hours after Russia’s 2022 attack.Zelenskyy recalled receiving a phone call from Joe Biden who offered to help him leave the country “urgently”. “Here I replied that I need ammunition, not a ride,” Zelenskyy said, recalling one of the most famous moments of his presidency.The video showed Zelenskyy leaving roses at a memorial in Maidan Square in Kyiv to the thousands of Ukrainian servicemen and women who have died over the past four years.Our correspondent Luke Harding is in Kyiv and has this summary:European Parliament sits to mark fourth anniversary of warMeanwhile, the European Parliament is about to start its extraordinary session to mark the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian aggression on Ukraine.Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to speak shortly via a video link from Kyiv.Jakub KrupaNato secretary general Mark Rutte’s remarks were not broadcast as expected.I am checking with NATO and will bring you the lines as and when we have them.Russia accuses Britain, France of preparing to arm Kyiv with nuclear bomb without any evidencePjotr SauerRussian affairs reporterMeanwhile, Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, has accused Britain and France of preparing to arm Kyiv with a nuclear bomb, a claim made without providing any evidence.In a statement released on Tuesday, the agency said the two European countries were allegedly pursuing the move to strengthen Ukraine’s negotiating position in the war against Russia, which entered its fifth year this week. “Such extremely dangerous plans by London and Paris show they have lost their sense of reality,” the SVR said, adding that the countries were wrong to believe they could avoid responsibility.Russian officials quickly seized on the statement, with the county’s federation council calling on the UN security council and the International Atomic Energy Agency to open an investigation. Russian intelligence agencies have long been known for making outlandish allegations, with Britain frequently portrayed as the main antagonist. Over the weekend, Russia’s spy chief also accused London of masterminding the assassination attempt on a senior Russian general.European leaders arrive in Kyiv to mark the fourth anniversaryMeanwhile, let’s take a look at some of the European leaders who are in Kyiv this morning.Here are the prime ministers of Denmark, Sweden and Norway, travelling on the overnight train from Poland.Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson, Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre on the night train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to show continued support on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Photograph: Fredrik Sandberg/TT/ShutterstockEuropean Council president António Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen are also there, as per photos posted on their social media channels, as is Estonian prime minister Kristen Michal and Latvian prime minister Evika Siliņa.Poland’s deputy prime minister, foreign minister Radosław Sikorski is there too.A number of other leaders will be also joining via video link, taking part in the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing later today.As is the former French prime minister, Gabriel Attal.NATO's Rutte marks fourth anniversary of warWe are expecting NATO’s secretary general Mark Rutte to speak on the fourth anniversary shortly.I will bring you the key lines here.Morning opening: Four long yearsJakub KrupaIt’s the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, when Russian hoped to take the country in three days, and 12 years since the preceding Russian attack on Crimea.As Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his special address this morning: “Looking back at the beginning of the invasion and reflecting on today, we have every right to say: we have defended our independence, we have not lost our statehood; Putin has not achieved his goals. He has not broken Ukrainians; he has not won this war. We have preserved Ukraine, and we will do everything to secure peace and justice.” A sign reading “Bravery Made in Ukraine” is displayed in a train corridor in Ukraine. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty ImagesSeveral European leaders are expected in Kyiv to mark the anniversary; others will be joining the fourth anniversary meeting of the Coalition of the Willing via a video link.We will hear from NATO’s secretary general Mark Rutte and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, among others, as they no doubt pay tribute to the people of Ukraine.But, despite the intentions, the EU failed to agree a new package of sanctions to put more pressure on Russia after Hungary’s Viktor Orbán vetoed the proposal over a separate dispute about oil transit through Ukraine.I will bring you all the key lines here.If you want to re-live the last hours before the invasion, you can read Shaun Walker’s brilliant story on how the CIA and MI6 got hold of Putin’s Ukraine plans and why nobody believed them.Shaun will be joining me for a Q&A to answer your questions from 2pm UK time.It’s Tuesday, 24 February 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.Good morning.