One year into invasion, Ukraine mourns dead and vows victory

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to do everything to defeat Russia this year, as the first Leopard tanks arrived in Ukraine on the anniversary of the start of Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.

Street protests against the Russian invasion were held in many European capitals to mark the anniversary, and fresh Western sanctions targeted Russia’s banks, military industry and semiconductor access.

Meanwhile, the Group of Seven industrialised nations threatened embargo busters with “severe costs”.

Poland sent the German-made Leopard tanks to help Ukraine repel Russian troops and deliver a “clear and measurable signal of further support”, said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who was visiting Kyiv.

Poland would send more tanks soon, Morawiecki added, and was also offering to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets, as Western allies underlined their unwavering support.

Russia, however, remained defiant, with former president Dmitry Medvedev insisting his country was ready to push its offensive “to the borders of Poland”.

Tensions were also building on Ukraine’s border with Moldova, as Moscow claimed Kyiv was plotting to invade the breakaway region of Transnistria and promised to respond. Moldova denied any threat from Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said he was planning to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping after the release Friday of Beijing’s 12-point position paper on the conflict, which included a call for peace talks and for respecting all territorial sovereignty.

Zelenskyy noted that Beijing’s paper appeared to show “there is respect for our territorial integrity, security issues”.

Earlier Friday, he said in a statement that Ukraine would “do everything to gain victory this year”.