Western leaders gather in Kyiv for Ukraine Independence Day amid intensified Russian strikes

Western and European Union leaders arrived in Kyiv on Sunday ahead of Ukraine's Independence Day celebrations and a meeting of the coalition of the willing.

The visit coincides with a surge in Russian strikes that has pushed civilian deaths to their highest level since the early months of the full-scale invasion. Ukrainian officials report shortages of air-defence interceptors.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Paris would deliver new interceptor missiles after strikes killed civilians, including children. Norway pledged more than $9 billion in aid for 2027, framing the support as essential for European security.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that holding elections under current conditions would risk splitting the country. Calls for a vote have grown in some Western capitals.

Russian forces have focused on energy infrastructure, aiming to degrade Ukraine's capacity ahead of another winter. Zelenskyy claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to draft an additional 300,000 troops.

The gathering in Kyiv reaffirms political and military support at a moment when Ukrainian air defences are under pressure and the front lines remain largely static. The concrete deliveries of missiles and the scale of Norwegian funding will matter more than the ceremonial timing of the anniversary.