Ukraine wants peace but won't give in, Zelenskyy says on Independence Day

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a defiant speech on Monday, marking Ukraine's Independence Day, as foreign leaders pledged their support. The President emphasized that while Ukraine wants peace, it is not prepared to surrender to Russia. Flanked by British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and European Council President Antonio Costa, Zelenskyy highlighted the resilience of the Ukrainian people throughout the conflict, which has lasted over four years.

He thanked foreign leaders for their continued backing on the 35th anniversary of Ukraine breaking away from the Soviet Union.

Zelenskyy warned that Russia would not stop its aggression even if Ukraine conceded to its demands for more territory in the country's east. British Prime Minister Burnham, who made his first foreign visit to Kyiv, vowed to continue support despite Russia's threats to his country. Britain announced that they would allow Ukraine access to classified technology for the production of European SCALP long-range cruise missiles. In response, the Kremlin threatened consequences for supplying drones to Ukraine.

Ukraine's war effort is challenged by a $27-billion defence funding gap this year, and Russian may escalate the conflict by mobilizing additional troops after parliamentary elections in September. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy called for allies to provide everything needed to stop the war, emphasizing that they are not asking for help in fighting but in ending the conflict.

The war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and significant damage to Ukrainian territory since Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.