Ukraine Hosts European Backers as Civilian Deaths Hit Highest Levels Since 2022 Invasion
Ukraine is hosting a meeting of its key European backers in Kyiv on its Independence Day as Russian attacks push civilian deaths to their highest levels since the first months of the 2022 invasion in the Ukraine war, with President Zelenskyy pressing for urgent air-defence supplies amid a sharp shortfall in Patriot interceptors. The meeting of the Coalition of the Willing will be jointly chaired by the leaders of Britain, France and Germany.
European Leaders Convene in Kyiv
The Coalition of the Willing meeting, jointly chaired by the leaders of Britain, France and Germany, comes as Russia pounds Kyiv with ballistic missiles, ripping open apartment blocks and killing dozens. [1] Ukraine celebrates independence day on Monday, which also marks exactly four-and-a-half years since Russia invaded on Feb 24, 2022. [1] UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will be in Kyiv for his first international trip since entering 10 Downing Street, and several other leaders are expected to join remotely. [1] EU Council President Antonio Costa is also due in Kyiv for the talks, which come amid the latest, deadly escalation of the war. [1] The Coalition of the Willing is a Franco-British initiative to deliver support to Ukraine and ramp up pressure on Russia. [1] Originally designed as a group of countries that would be willing to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event a ceasefire was reached, it has become a parallel forum for marshalling support to Ukraine amid uncertainty over US commitments under Donald Trump. [1]
Escalating Russian Attacks and Civilian Toll
Russia has been pounding Kyiv with ballistic missiles in recent weeks, ripping open apartment blocks and killing dozens of citizens in the capital. [1] The escalating Russian strikes have pushed civilian deaths to their highest levels since the first months of Russia's 2022 invasion. [1] After almost every attack, which causes tens of thousands to hunker in the Kyiv metro system and many more in basements and other shelters across the city, Zelenskyy has issued public pleas for more air-defence support. [1] Civilian deaths in the four-and-a-half-year-long war have surged to their highest since the first months of the invasion amid the uptick in Russian strikes, according to verified statistics from the United Nations. [2] Russia has intensified its strikes, using hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles that expose Ukraine's air-defence shortfall. [2]
Critical Shortfall in Air Defence
Ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy revealed the extent of the deficit, releasing usually closely guarded numbers. [1] He said deliveries of crucial Patriot interceptors had halved since 2023. [1] "Over the entire of 2023, Ukraine received 675 missiles, and over all of 2025 - 364, even though Russian missile strikes have increased," Zelenskyy said. [1] "For 2026, as currently projected, it is 264," he added, saying Ukraine was seeking a package of at least 300 for the upcoming winter. [1] Zelenskyy said Russia could produce around 100 ballistic missiles a month. [1] The ballistic missiles Russia has been firing in their dozens are incredibly fast and travel with a high-arching trajectory, making them difficult to stop. [1] Kyiv's home-grown weapons cannot shoot them down, meaning Ukraine is reliant on advanced systems, chiefly US Patriot interceptors, to protect its skies. [1] The United States faces its own shortfall of missiles amid its war on Iran and has resisted releasing large numbers to Ukraine. [1]
New UK and French Defence Commitments
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is visiting Kyiv and will announce authorisation for defence firm MBDA to release classified information to enable local production of long-range SCALP missiles with France. [1] French President Emmanuel Macron pledged new interceptor missiles. [1] "Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve," Burnham said in a statement before his arrival in Kyiv. [1] "We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace." [1] On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged Paris would deliver new interceptor missiles. [1] "It is crucial to provide Ukraine with all the necessary means to defend its skies and thwart this aggression," Macron wrote on X. [1] Diplomacy on ending the conflict, Europe's largest since World War II, is effectively frozen. [1] Russia is demanding hardline territorial and political concessions that Kyiv has rejected as a capitulation that would only enable another Russian attack. [1]
Zelenskyy Rejects Election Calls
Zelenskyy has ruled out holding elections during wartime, calling them too dangerous and a risk that would split the country, after a call from former ally and ousted defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov. [2] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says it would be too dangerous for Ukraine to hold an election while fighting Russia, after a call by his former defence minister to organise a vote. [2] "I believe that in a war like this, elections as such are a huge risk," Zelenskyy said during a briefing with journalists on Saturday. [2] "Elections right now are a tsunami for the country that will split Ukraine." [2] "If we want to destroy the country, then we can move in the direction of elections during these times of war," he added. [2] Ukraine has suspended elections under martial law, a measure still widely supported by the population as the country focuses on fighting off the Russian invasion launched in 2022. [2] Only 15 per cent of Ukrainians believe elections should be held before the end of hostilities, according to an opinion poll. [2] Experts have cited a flurry of obstacles to staging elections, including how soldiers, millions of Ukrainian refugees and people from occupied territories would cast their ballots, as well as the threat of both interference and physical attacks from Russia. [2] Zelenskyy, despite facing growing domestic criticism as the war drags on, remains largely popular. [2]
Ukraine's Counter-Strikes and New Deals
Ukraine has accelerated long-range strikes on Russian energy and logistics sites including oil refineries and retail warehouses, hitting an Ozon warehouse for a second day, while a new drone deal was announced with Norway. [1] [2] Ukraine has accelerated its own campaign of long-range strikes on Russian energy and logistics sites, including oil refineries and retail warehouses. [1] On Sunday it hit a warehouse belonging to Russian e-commerce giant Ozon for the second day running. [2] As he fended off the political pressure, Zelenskyy announced a new drone deal with Norway, as European leaders arrived for talks ahead of a meeting on Monday to discuss how to pressure Russia to end its invasion. [2] Following individual meetings with several leaders, Zelenskyy announced a drone deal with Norway "that strengthens cooperation between our defence sectors". [2] Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told reporters his country had pledged 85 billion Norwegian krone ($12.5 billion) to Ukraine for next year. [2] On Monday, Ukraine's independence day, the country's key European backers will meet to discuss Ukraine's current military problems. [2]
What to watch next: The Coalition of the Willing talks on Monday will focus on addressing Ukraine's air-defence shortfall as Russia continues ballistic missile strikes, while Zelenskyy seeks at least 300 Patriot interceptors for the winter period.
