Grief, Anger, And Pride As Ukraine Marks Third Anniversary Of Russia's Full-Scale Invasion

Over his long years in power, Putin made his designs on Ukraine increasingly clear, repeatedly trying to cast doubt on the country's right to exist as an independent state. The months before the full-scale invasion brought a drumbeat of statements, written and spoken, that caused alarm about his intentions -- or should have. One glaring example, in July 2021, was what one commentator called a "lengthy, tortured article" in which Putin "spelled out his destabilizing fixation" on controlling Ukraine.

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“You can discuss whatever you want with Putin but if it comes to Europe or Ukraine, then Ukraine and Europe also have to agree to this deal," Kaja Kallas, vice president of the European Commission, said.

“We can’t speak for President Trump and these statement are quite interesting. I mean “dictator.” First when I heard about this, I was sure he was making a mistake and mixing the two people because Russia hasn’t had elections for 25 years. Zelenskyy is an elected leader in free and fair elections and of course during war time you cannot have elections."

Senior International Correspondent Mike Eckel was in Kyiv on the morning that Russia launched its all-out assault on Ukraine.

A small recollection of that moment, three years on—and the struggle to make sense of it, amid nearly two-decades of covering Russia, Ukraine and the entirety of the former Soviet Union.

The EU has issued a joint-statement on the third-anniversary of the war.

Here are four key points:

Russia and its leadership bear sole responsibility for this war.

The European Union will continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support.

The future of Ukraine is EU membership (Hungary has of course casted doubts about this).

The EU level will ramp up European defence industry production.

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya: "Ukraine's fight is our fight—for freedom, democracy, and the shared values of Europe."

Germany's election winner and likely next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has condemned three years of Russian aggression and war crimes in a social media post.

"Now more than ever, we must put Ukraine in a position of strength. For a just peace, the attacked country must be part of peace negotiations," he wrote.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu, said "Ukraine has shielded Moldova from the horrors of war," in a video message on X to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The World Congress of Ukrainians (WCU), which unites Ukrainians from multiple waves of emigration as well as those displaced by Russia's invasion, has announced 1,000+ events in 72 countries over four days. "For us, it is extremely important to show that Russia's problem is not exclusively Ukraine's problem, that there are other countries that also need to strengthen sanctions against Russia, to help Ukraine even more," WCU Vice President Volodymyr Kogutyak told RFE/RL.

The events range from rallies in major cities to local events such as film screenings and church services, said Kogutak, who is based in France.

Over to Brussels, now, where EU Foreign Ministers are meeting.

The bloc's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, told reporters before going in that she hoped they would approve a 16th package of sanctions against Russia today.

She said it would cover items ranging "from gaming consoles to the shadow fleet."

President Zelenskyy has issued a rallying cry to Ukrainians on social media this morning:

"Three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of Ukrainians. I am proud of Ukraine! I thank everyone who defends and supports it. Everyone who works for Ukraine. And may the memory of all those who have given their lives for our state and people be eternal."