Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) vowed on February 24 to support Ukraine for as long as needed in its war against Russia and said they would look for ways to make Moscow pay for the damage inflicted by its invasion.
The G7 leaders held a videoconference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to mark the second anniversary of the Russian invasion.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
"As Ukraine enters the third year of this relentless war, its government and its people can count on the G7’s support for as long as it takes," the G7 leaders' statement said.
Zelenskiy told the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States that they "know very well" what Ukraine needs to protect its skies and strengthen its army on the ground.
"You know everything we need to support and continue our success at sea. And you well understand that we need all this in time. We are counting on you," Zelenskiy said, calling on the leaders to remember "that imperial ambitions and revanchism disappear only with the defeat of those who are infected by them."
This is historically what clears the way for real security and the development of democracy, he added.
"We hear at this time 'History is watching,' and this is absolutely true," he said, referring to the words of U.S. President Joe Biden in recent speeches imploring the House of Representatives to pass a bill that includes $61 billion in aid to Ukraine.
The first G7 summit in 2024 took place exactly two years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
"I thank you for these two years together. That terrible day of February 24 and all the horror brought by Russia still did not deprive Ukraine of a normal future," Zelenskiy told the G7 leaders.
Zelenskiy signed security agreements earlier on February 24 with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who were in Kyiv along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to mark the war's two-year anniversary.
"The message I want to send today to...all the Ukrainian people is that they are not alone," Meloni said as she signed a 10-year defense pact with Zelenskiy.
Trudeau signed a similar accord and pledged some $2.25 billion in financial and military support this year.
"Every day since Russia’s invasion began, the G7 has stood with Ukraine. And today, together, we reaffirmed that support. We are united. We are unwavering. And we are not going to let Putin win," Trudeau said.
Zelenskiy also met with Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson to discuss the potential for joint arms production and future negotiations on signing a bilateral security agreement.