Brussels turns blue and yellow as Ukraine war reaches 1,000 days

With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reaching its 1,000th day on Tuesday, Brussels has begun a commemoration in support of Ukraine.

Large displays of the Ukrainian flag were seen around EU institutions on Monday night ahead of reaching this milestone of Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two.

As of August this year, almost 12,000 civilians were reported as killed in Ukraine, according to UN figures. UNICEF says that at least 2,406 were children.

In Kyiv, a sea of blue and yellow flags is laid out in honour of the fallen soldiers in the capital’s Independence Square.

According to estimates, around 80,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died in battle since 2022.

Many were volunteers who left their civilian lives behind to answer the call to defend their country.

On Friday, the European Commission announced a second regular payment of close to €4.1 billion under the EU’s Ukraine Facility.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the payment “further proof both of Europe’s steadfast commitment to Ukraine, and of the country’s impressive progress in driving forward important reforms to advance on its EU path while fighting an atrocious war.”