You are not alone: Message to Ukraine on third anniv. of Russian invasion

As the world observes the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, several countries have expressed solidarity with the besieged nation during a gathering at the United Nations in Geneva on Tuesday 25 February, just a day after the UN Security Council (UNSC) approved a US-drafted resolution that maintained a neutral position on the ongoing conflict, according to Reuters and other reports.

The event, organised to mark Ukraine’s "resistance to Russian aggression", followed the resolution passed in New York on the third anniversary of the war, reflecting a shift in US policy under President Donald Trump, who has taken a more conciliatory approach toward Russia, making brazen attempts to ignore the fact that Russia was the aggressor against Ukraine, even to the point of calling Zelenskyy a 'dictator'.

"You are not alone. Norway, along with many other nations present here today, remains committed to supporting you in defending your territorial integrity, sovereignty, and human dignity," said Norway’s deputy foreign minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, addressing a room filled with diplomats and ministers.

Since Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine on 25 February 2022, thousands of Ukrainian civilians have lost their lives, and over six million have sought refuge in other countries. Moscow has defended its actions, describing the invasion as a "special military operation" necessitated by NATO’s expansion eastward.

According to a report in the UK's Independent, the war has so far claimed the lives of over 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers and more than 12,500 civilians — including 669 children — witnessed 25,600 Russian drone strikes, and created 69 lakh Ukrainian refugees.

At the UN meeting, Estonia’s undersecretary for global affairs Minna-Liina Lind voiced concerns over the UNSC resolution, which notably omitted long-standing references to Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

"I am extremely worried about this development," she said, but remained optimistic about Europe’s commitment. "However, I believe that when one party weakens, others step in to fill the gap," she told Reuters after the meeting, which was co-hosted by Ukraine and Liechtenstein on the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Council.

Efforts to pass the same resolution in the UN General Assembly were unsuccessful, as it instead adopted motions seen as more favorable to Ukraine — marking a diplomatic setback for Washington.

Most attendees at the Geneva meeting were European nations, including France and Germany, but representatives from Turkey, South Korea, Australia, and Japan were also present. The US sent a delegate, though they did not address the gathering.

Ukraine’s ambassador Yevheniia Filipenko grew emotional during her speech as she urged nations to continue supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts and hold Russia accountable for alleged crimes committed since the invasion. "The road ahead is difficult, but when we stand together, we can overcome any challenge," she stated.

Elsewhere in Europe, British foreign secretary David Lammy said on Tuesday: “Europe has to act quickly, and I believe we should move from freezing assets to seizing assets. It’s not an issue on which any government can act alone. We must act with European allies,” as per a report in the Guardian stating that calls are growing for hundreds of billions in Russian government wealth frozen in the international banking system to be used for Ukraine’s defence.

As per the report, "Petr Fiala, the Czech PM, also said the west should use the money to finance military supplies for Ukraine. European leaders have so far failed to reach agreement on how to seize the money without facing legal challenges or setting a problematic international precedent."

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Ukraine and the US have reached an agreement on a framework for a broad economic deal that will include the exploitation of rare earth minerals, three senior Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday.

The officials, who were familiar with the matter, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly. One of them said that Kyiv hopes that signing the agreement will ensure the continued flow of US military support that Ukraine urgently needs.

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the administration of US President Donald Trump.

The agreement could be signed as early as Friday and plans are being drawn up for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to travel to Washington to meet Trump, according to one of the Ukrainian officials.

Another official said the agreement would provide an opportunity for Zelenskyy and Trump to discuss continued military aid to Ukraine, which is why Kyiv is eager to finalise the deal.

With agency inputs