Issued on: 24/02/2026 - 04:47Modified: 25/02/2026 - 07:39
Allies from the “Coalition of the Willing” group of nations supporting Ukraine on Tuesday urged Russia to agree to an "unconditional ceasefire", on the four-year anniversary of Moscow's full-scale invasion. Later in the day, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution voicing support for Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity, with the US among those abstaining from the vote. Read about the day’s events as they unfolded on our liveblog.
This live page is no longer being updated. For more of our coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
US imposes cyber-related sanctions on Russian, UAE individuals and entities
The US on Tuesday issued cyber-related sanctions against four people and three entities, including some based in Russia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Treasury Department website.
The entities and people were targeted "for their acquisition and distribution of cyber tools harmful to U.S. national security," the Treasury Department said in a statement.
The sanctions are related to a U.S. investigation into a former executive of a government contractor, for selling trade secrets to a buyer in Russia - one of the entities hit with sanctions - for $1.3 million.
Ukrainian envoy says US raised concerns about strikes aimed at Russia that impacted US oil interests
The US State Department has expressed its displeasure about Ukraine’s recent attacks on the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea that have impacted US oil interests in Kazakhstan, Kyiv's chief envoy to Washington said.
Ambassador Olga Stefanishyna noted the US concern on the fourth anniversary of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine.
“This reach-out was not related to encouraging Ukraine from refraining to attack Russian military and energy infrastructure. It was related to the very fact that American economic interest was affected there,” Stefanishyna told reporters in Washington. “It did happen, and we have taken the note.”
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
'Ukrainians are getting ready to fight as long as needed', director of Amnesty International Ukraine says
Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, Veronika Velch, director of Amnesty International in Ukraine, says that "Ukrainians are getting ready to fight as long as it would be needed".
"Ukrainians really want peace, but there's very little trust in a peace that will come without justice," she said.
📷 Eiffel Tower illuminated in colours of Ukrainian flag to mark four years of war
The Eiffel tower is illuminated in the colours of the Ukrainian flag to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
© Ludovic Marin, AFP
UN chief calls Ukraine war 'a stain on our collective conscience'
Four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the war there remained "as a stain on our collective conscience" and reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire.
In remarks for a session of the United Nations Security Council to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion, Guterres commended the efforts of the United States and others to end the war, but said concrete measures were needed to de-escalate and create space for diplomacy.
Referring to Russia's invasion, Guterres said: "We have witnessed the cascading consequences of this blatant violation of international law."
He said more than 15,000 civilians had been killed in Ukraine since the start of the war and more than 41,000 hurt. Among those killed or hurt were 3,200 children.
US senators back Ukraine ahead of major Trump speech
A group of Democratic and Republican US senators will introduce a resolution supporting Ukraine as it battles Russian invaders, hours before President Donald Trump was due to make his nationally televised State of the Union address to the nation.
The resolution was led by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Thom Tillis, who are co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group. It had at least 26 other co-sponsors, about evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, according to an early copy of the resolution seen by Reuters.
UN General Assembly passes motion calling for truce and peace
The UN General Assembly adopted by a wide margin a motion supporting Ukraine, backing its international borders and voicing concern over intensifying Russian attacks on civilians and critical energy infrastructure.
The vote by the assembly, which has repeatedly supported Ukraine, passed with 107 in favour, 12 against and 51 abstentions and was seen as a test of solidarity with Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion.
A breakdown of voting on the resolution, which is not legally binding but carries political weight, showed that Russia, Belarus and Sudan were among the opponents while China and the US abstained.
Votes are shown approving a draft resolution in support of lasting peace in Ukraine at the UN headquarters in New York City on February 24, 2026. © Shannon Stapleton, Reuters.
Western nations boycott Russia at UN in solidarity with Ukraine
Multiple countries shunned Russia at the United Nations, boycotting its intervention at the Human Rights Council in solidarity with Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of Moscow's invasion.
Several Western nations stayed away, leaving Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky speaking to a bare-looking hall.
There was a similar boycott at the Conference on Disarmament as Gennady Gatilov, Russia's ambassador in Geneva, addressed the room.
Outside, as Gatilov spoke, delegates stood together holding up a large Ukrainian flag, before returning to their seats after the Russian ambassador finished speaking.
Nearly 50 people did the same outside the Human Rights Council.
Oslo hails 'sensational' Ukraine survival, says 'Putin has lost already'
Norway's top diplomat hailed Ukraine's survival since Russia launched its full-scale invasion four years ago, and told AFP that President Vladimir Putin had lost the war.
Moscow had hoped to take Kyiv in days when it sent troops across the border on February 24, 2022.
Four years later, "it is sensational actually that Ukraine is still there", Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in an interview in Geneva.
Children who fled Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories share their stories
UNICEF has been warning the war in Ukraine has taken a devastating toll on children, disrupting their lives at critical stages in their development.
Here are the stories of some children who fled Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories:
Italy will keep sending military aid to Ukraine in 2026, official says
Italy will send more military aid to Ukraine this year, a senior government official said, adding that continued support for Kyiv could help bring Russia to the negotiating table.
"We have already agreed that aid of all kinds, including military aid, will continue to be provided to Ukraine throughout the year, so there will obviously be further aid packages in 2026," said Giovanbattista Fazzolari, a cabinet undersecretary and a close aide to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Speaking at a conference marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he added that continuing backing for Kyiv "could lead Russia to genuine peace negotiations within a reasonable time frame".
Rome has so far supported Ukraine's military effort with 12 aid packages, including air defence systems.
'Time is on Ukraine’s side', argues an analyst
FRANCE 24's Carys Garland is joined by Samuel Ramani, associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, who argues that time is "on Ukraine's side" and that some tides are turning on the battlefield.
Ukrainian organisation turns civilian cars into tactical assets
FRANCE 24 spoke to Ivan Oleksii, the co-founder of Car For Ukraine, an organisation that sources cars – mostly from outside Ukraine – then upgrades and deliver them to the frontlines.
Germany's Merz urges China to use influence with Russia over Ukraine war
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that China has a "significant opportunity" to exert influence with Russia over the Ukraine war.
"We need to cooperate to resolve the major crises and wars of our times, including in our efforts to finally put an end to Russia's four-year war of aggression against Ukraine," Merz said as he left for a Beijing visit.
"China has a significant opportunity to exert its influence here ... Beijing has a voice that will be heard, even in Moscow," he said.
Brazil 'seems to want to project an image of not taking sides' on war in Ukraine
While Europe and the US have largely backed Kyiv with sanctions and weapons, countries in the Global South have tried to toe a more neutral line – none more so than Brazil. The country’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has condemned the invasion in principle, but he also refused to take sides.
FRANCE 24's correspondent in Brazil, Jan Onoszko, tells us more.
UK says 'no truth' in Russia's claim Ukraine seeking to acquire nuclear weapon
Britain said that Russia's claim that Ukraine was seeking to obtain a nuclear weapon with help from Britain and France was unfounded.
"This is a clear attempt by Vladimir Putin to distract from his heinous actions in Ukraine," a British government spokesperson said. "There is no truth in this."
Replay: Volodymyr Zelensky holds press conference with EU chiefs
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky held a press conference alongside senior European Union figures Ursula Von der Leyen and Antonio Costa to mark the four-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Watch the full press conference by clicking on the player below:
Ukraine does not feel abandoned by US government, envoy says
Ukraine does not feel abandoned by the US government, its ambassador to the US Olga Stefanishyna said, adding she expected to hear messages about ending Russia's war in Ukraine during President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech later in the day.
Slovakia says Russia oil shipments via pipeline to resume Thursday
Slovakia's economy ministry said that shipments of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline that passes through Ukraine are expected to resume on Thursday.
Last week, Slovakia threatened to cut emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine if its neighbour does not reopen the Druzhba pipeline that brings Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary.
"The latest date announced for the resumption of shipments was delayed to February 26," the ministry said in a statement, adding that Ukraine did not explain the delay in resuming shipments.
Yesterday's key developments:
Ukraine will need $588 billion to rebuild from the destruction caused by Russia's full-scale invasion, a World Bank report said on Monday – a figure almost three times the country's annual economic output.
Hungary vetoed a new EU package of sanctions against Russia and a €90 billion loan to Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky exhorted US President Donald Trump to remain “on our side”, according to an interview with CNN.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)
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