President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was proud of the “absolute heroism” shown by the Ukrainian people in withstanding three years of unprovoked Russian aggression, as European leaders gathered in Kyiv on Monday to mark the third anniversary of Moscow’s full-blown war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday called for "real, lasting peace" this year as European leaders gathered for a summit in Kyiv on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion.Russia said it would only halt the invasion if a deal can be reached that "suits" its interests and accused Europe of wanting to prolong the fighting.

On the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a missile alert was announced in Kyiv as a MiG-31K fighter jet took off from one of the airports in Russia. Sirens wailed during President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech at an international forum.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he was “ready” to resign as leader if it meant it would bring to his country, suggesting he could swap it for NATO membership - while also pushing back against US demands for Ukraine’s critical minerals and other natural resources as part of negotiations to end the war.

Zelensky said giving the U.S. profits from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for its wartime assistance to Kyiv has been taken off the table, but he indicated a more equitable deal was in the works.

The U.S. and Ukraine pushed divergent messages over the weekend, with Kyiv pressing for better terms to the mineral-rights deal sought by President Trump, while Washington urged Ukraine to swiftly accept the proposal already on the table.