In pics | Defenders of Ukraine Day: Nothing will weaken Kyiv's resolve against Russia, says Zelensky

Ukrainians observed a minute of silence for the war-torn country's fallen defenders on October 1 at 9:00 am (local time) as they marked the Defenders of Ukraine Day and offered prayers to those fighting to defend Kyiv. 

According to media reports people were seen putting their hands on their chests and observed a moment of silence across the capital city. This comes as the Ukrainian government designated October 1 as a holiday, earlier this year. 

Traffic on Kyiv's Maidan square came to a standstill, reported Reuters, as Ukrainians all over the country paid tribute to killed soldiers on the newly-introduced Defenders' Day.

People laid flowers and planted flags with the names of fallen family members on the Maidan, Ukraine's Independence square.

Image shows a woman laying flowers at the 'Heavenly Hundred Heroes Memorial' paying tribute to the Maidan activists killed during the anti-government demonstration of 2014, in Kyiv on October 1, 2023.

In his speech marking the Defenders Day, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said nothing would weaken his country's fight against Russia. This comes a day after the United States Congress passed a stopgap funding bill to avoid government shutdown for another 45 days. However, the bill passed did not include $6 billion aid for Ukraine. 

While Zelensky did not directly mention the US Congress' decision of he reiterated his determination to fight to victory and said no one could "shut down" Ukraine's stability, endurance, strength and courage, reported Reuters. He added that Ukraine would only stop resisting and fighting on the day of victory. 

Image shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visiting the 'Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine', amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, during Defenders of Ukraine Day commemoration in Kyiv, Ukraine October 1, 2023. 

After the recent bill that passed through US Congress without including the billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said he had received reassurances about further military assistance in a telephone call with American Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

"Secretary Austin assured me," said Umerov, on X, adding that US support to Ukraine "will continue" and that Ukrainian "warriors will continue to have a strong back-up on the battlefield."

US President Joe Biden said on Sunday that Republicans had pledged to provide Ukraine aid through a separate vote and assured that American support could not be interrupted "under any circumstances."

Similarly, the Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson said Kyiv is working with its American partners to ensure a new budget decision would include funds for the country. 

Image shows people visiting the Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine to mark Defenders Day of Ukraine in Kyiv on October 1, 2023.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, on Sunday (Oct 1) during his visit to the Ukrainian capital city Kyiv, said the 27-nation bloc would increase military support to Ukraine after the stopgap bill passed in the US. 

Borrell told a news conference that in the face of an "existential threat for Europe," the "proposition on the table" showed the EU wanted to increase military aid to Ukraine. 

"Let's see what will happen in the U.S., but from our side, we will continue supporting and increasing our support," said the EU foreign policy chief when asked about the vote in Washington.

"Ukrainians are fighting with all their courage and capacities," said Borrell, as quoted by Reuters, adding that if the EU wanted Kyiv to be more successful, "we have to provide them with better arms, and bigger".

The EU foreign policy chief later took to X and also said that the 27-nation bloc was preparing "long-term security commitments for Ukraine". During his visit to Kyiv, Borrell said that he hoped member states would reach a decision on increasing aid "before the end of the year". 

The statement followed his first in-person meeting with the recently appointed Ukrainian defence minister, who thanked Borrell in a statement on X for "continuous support" and said the meeting was "a starting point for great cooperation".

The Ukrainian official also said that the discussions of EU military aid covered "artillery & ammunition, air defense, EW (electronic warfare) & long-term assistance programs, trainings, and defence industry localization" in Ukraine.

Image shows Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell at the Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine, on October 1, 2023.

After EU foreign policy chief with other Ukrainian officials visited the Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Defenders Day commemorating soldiers killed in conflict on Sunday (October 1), Borrell also met with wounded servicemen.

Image shows people visiting graves of fallen Ukrainian soldiers at Lychakiv Cemetery to mark Defenders Day of Ukraine in Lviv on October 1, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.