VIDEO: RFE/RL Frontline Reporters Reflect On 3 Years Of Russia's Full-Scale War On Ukraine
- By Ray Furlong
RFE/RL correspondents Maryan Kushnir and Yevhenia Kytaiva-Rusetska have spent much of the last three years on the front line, producing insightful and sometimes disturbing reports on the realities of the trenches.
In this video, they reflect on their experiences.
Pro-Ukraine Protest in Taiwan Outside De-Facto Russian Embassy
Ukrainians living in Taiwan and local supporters protested outside the de-facto Russian embassy in Taipei on the eve of today's anniversary.
The self-governing island has been a vocal supporter of Kyiv, which the Taiwanese government sees as a foil for its own tenuous geopolitical position. China has long threatened to invade and annex Taiwan if it refused to peacefully accept unification with the mainland.
Those parallels have grown since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. The United States is Taiwan's largest military backer and its support is considered vital for its survival, but Trump's global shakeup, including launching negotiations with Russia without Ukraine and threatening to cut off future aid to Kyiv, has brought anxiety to Taiwan about a similar withdrawal of American assistance.
So far, the Trump administration has reaffirmed its support for Taiwan.
Zelenskyy Proposes Mass Prisoner Swap
- By Ray Furlong
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for a mass exchange of prisoners with Russia.
Speaking at a conference in Kyiv with EU leaders, he said it could be a confidence building measure.
But he also voiced doubts about the prospects for peace talks with Russia.
"Putin will not gift us peace. He will not exchange it for something. We have to reach peace through strength, wisdom, and unity."
Your Questions Answered
We have been asking you for your questions about the future of the war. Here, Rostyslav Khotin, a senior editor in RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, answers.
Will Europe be able to unite against Putin without the help of the U.S.?
Europe gave Ukraine 70 billion euros in financial and humanitarian aid, as well as 62 billion euros in military aid. The United States provided 64 billion euros in military aid and 50 billion euros in financial aid.
This is according to figures from the Kiel Institute For the World Economy.
U.S. aid is critical because of arms supplies. Even when Europeans transfer Patriot systems and F-16 jets to Ukraine, Washington still gives permission, because these are American weapons.
Lavrov Says Russia Not Ready To Stop The War
- By Ray Furlong
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has a stark message as the war enters it's fourth year: Moscow is not ready to stop its invasion.
Speaking during a visit to Turkey, he said: "We will stop hostilities only when these negotiations produce a firm and sustainable result that suits the Russian Federation."
This came as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow that talks with the United States would continue this week, focusing on "irritants" in relations.
Leaked Military Hospital Database Shows Vast Toll Of War
- By Carl Schreck
RFE/RL has obtained leaked Russian military hospital records that show the massive toll the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has wrought on Russia’s armed forces.
Among the findings: the previously unrevealed fact that the head of Russia's defense forces was hospitalized with a gunshot wound nine months before he was killed in an exploding-scooter assassination that Ukraine claimed credit for.
Defense Minister: Ukraine Needs 'Decisive Action From Our Allies'
Ukraine has "grown stronger" as it battles Russia's full-scale invasion but needs "decisive action" from allies if it is to prevail, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov says. "Only together can we restore our borders, free our prisoners, and make Russia pay for its crimes."
The three-year mark in the full-scale invasion comes amid uncertainty about the future of support from the West, in particular the United States, and questions about what kind of security guarantees Western countries might provide if a cease-fire or peace deal is reached.
European Foreign Ministers On Ukraine
Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Danish foreign minister, speaking ahead of the EU foreign affairs council
"It is up to Ukraine to decide their own destiny. They have chosen to become a member of the European family, and we want to welcome them in the European family."
Maria Malmer Stenergard, Swedish foreign minister
"Ukraine must be in a position of strength at the negotiation table when they are ready to negotiate. And they must also be in a position to actually say no to a bad deal. In order for this to happen we need to increase the military support now, not in six months or a year."
Margus Tsahkna, Estonian foreign minister
"We have 300 billion euros worth of Russian frozen assets in Europe. And we need to use them...so we can replace U.S. support if the U.S. is going to decide that they will not support Ukraine anymore.”
From The Archive: RFE/RL Investigates The Bucha Massacre
- By Ray Furlong
The massacre at Bucha by Russian forces is one of the most notorious atrocities in a war that has been marked by continual Russian attacks on civilians. RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service conducted an in-depth investigation that told the stories of many victims, while focusing on the chilling story of how they came for a man who ran a coffee stand.
Will Ukraine's One And Only Wartime President Face a New Election This Year?
- By Mike Eckel
Volodymr Zelenskyy rode into Ukraine's presidency in 2019 in a landslide election victory that signaled Ukrainian voters were eager for a change.
Since Russia's all-out invasion began in 2022, the country has been under martial law, barring any new presidential vote that would give Zelenskyy another chance to prove himself at the polls.
After years of wartime solidarity as Ukrainians rallied to Zelenskyy, there are now hints of political cracks. And there’s growing pressure, in particular from President Donald Trump's administration, to possibly hold a new election, something Ukrainian officials say, for now, is logistically and legally impossible.
