Zelenskiy and European leaders celebrate 2nd anniversary of invasion of Ukraine airfield

Feb. 24 (UPI) — Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy joined European and other leaders at an airfield on Saturday to commemorate the second anniversary of the invasion of Russia.

The rally took place at Hostomel airfield on the northwest outskirts of Kiev, where the first signs of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Moscow were seen on February 24, 2022, and the site of weeks of intense fighting.

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Russia’s ultimate failure to seize an airfield and use it as a planned route to quickly seize and occupy Ukraine’s capital is a symbol of Kiev’s resilience after 730 days of war, the lecturer said. said the people.

President Zelenskiy and Western leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, visited the airfield. took advantage of the symbolic value of Ukraine to reiterate its strong support for the ongoing fight against Russia. Invader.

“This was supposed to be the beginning of a specific scenario: ‘We will take Kiev and Ukraine in three days,'” Zelenskiy said. “That can be said in a nutshell. Two years ago we encountered a hostile landing here, and two years later we welcome our friends and partners here.”

He said the country “withstood the first three days. It didn’t fall on the fourth day. And it fought on the fifth day. Then it was a month. Then it was six months. And now it’s been two years. It was free. A fight for a lifetime. It was fought heroically by great people, and I always address them in my speeches: great people of a great country. ”

“President Putin was confident that he could easily capture a strategic target like this airport,” Trudeau said at the rally. “We’re standing here today because he was wrong, and he was wrong in so many ways.”

Meloni used the opportunity to reassure the nation that Ukraine is Italy’s “homeland” and that it intends to protect it, as Rome prepares to host the first G7 summit under its chairmanship. spread to

“This place is a symbol of Moscow’s failures and Ukraine’s pride, and a reminder that there is something stronger than missiles and war: love for one’s land and freedom,” she said.

Mr. von der Leyen recalled the night two years ago when “all seemed lost” and saw “swarms of Russian helicopters” and “columns of tanks descending rapidly from the border with Belarus”. They were rushing into Ukraine, and it felt like Ukraine would fall within days. Country.

But she said, “Your courage is [Russian President Vladimir] “This is Putin’s way,” he declared, “Europe needs more financial support, more ammunition, more military training, more air defense, and more investment in European and Ukrainian defense industries.” I will go and stand by your side as long as necessary.” ”