Stubb, Merz, Burnham Among Leaders Heading To Kyiv As Ukraine Marks 35th Independence Day

Finnish President Alexander Stubb arrived in Kyiv on Sunday, ahead of Ukraine’s 35th Independence Day, reaffirming Finland’s support for the country as its war with Russia continues.

In a post on X, Stubb said he arrived in Kyiv in the morning and noted that the “traces of the war are visible in people's everyday lives.” He added that Finland would stand by Ukraine’s side “today, tomorrow, and in the future.” Stubb is among several European leaders visiting Kyiv ahead of Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24.

Around 10 foreign leaders are expected in Kyiv on Monday. Several leaders have already arrived in the Ukrainian capital, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said leaders from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway were among the foreign delegations arriving ahead of the celebrations.

The Coalition of the Willing, a group of countries coordinating support for Kyiv, is also set to meet on Monday to reaffirm its backing for Ukraine. The hybrid meeting will be co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Macron is expected to participate via video link. European Council President António Costa is also expected to attend in person, while NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska will participate remotely.

The visit comes as fighting continues despite renewed diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Russia and Ukraine have continued to trade attacks, with Russian strikes killing civilians in Ukraine in recent days, while Ukrainian drone attacks have targeted infrastructure inside Russia and Russian-occupied areas.

Ukraine is also facing an urgent need for stronger air defences. French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to accelerate deliveries of French interceptor missiles to Kyiv following recent Russian attacks.

Sriram Ganesh is a Senior Copy Editor with nearly four years of experience in television news media. Having previously worked as a reporter and desk w... View More