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The shock wave unleashed by Russia’s latest strike against Kyiv has “severely” damaged the delegation of the European Union in the Ukrainian capital, the bloc’s ambassador Katarina Mathernova announced on Thursday morning.
The overnight attack of 629 missiles and drones, part of Moscow’s campaign of sowing terror and chaos, has killed at least 17 people, including four children, and injured dozens, causing major destruction across the city.
“This is Moscow’s true answer to peace efforts,” Mathernova said.
Speaking from Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen said she was “outraged” by the assault and confirmed no member of the delegation had been harmed.
Von der Leyen explained that two Russian missiles had hit within 50 metres of the diplomatic building in the span of 20 seconds.
“This is another grim reminder of what is at stake,” the president of the European Commission said in a short statement delivered to camera.
“It shows that the Kremlin will stop at nothing to terrorise Ukraine, blindly killing civilians – men, women and children and even targeting the European Union.”
António Costa, the president of the European Council, said he was “horrified” by the strike and expressed support for the Ukrainian people and the EU staff.
“The EU will not be intimidated. Russia’s aggression only strengthens our resolve to stand with Ukraine and its people,” Costa said.
EU leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Spain’s Pedro Sánchez, Portugal’s Luís Montenegro and Lithuania’s Gitanas Nausėda, also condemned the barrage.
The Vienna Convention of 1961 foresees protection for diplomatic and consular premises against intrusion or damage, although it is not uncommon for these buildings to be impacted during wartime. The Kremlin has shown a consistent disinterest in upholding international rules throughout its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
High Representative Kaja Kallas said the assault was a “choice to escalate and mock the peace efforts”, referring to the mission led by US President Donald Trump and backed by European allies. The talks are currently focused on designing security guarantees for Ukraine and securing a face-to-face meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which the latter appears keen to avoid.
In his reaction, Zelenskyy called on the international community to ramp up pressure on Russia to engage in serious negotiations.
“Russia still does not fear the consequences. Russia still takes advantage of the fact that at least part of the world turns a blind eye to murdered children and seeks excuses for Putin,” Zelenskyy said.
“It is definitely time for new, tough sanctions against Russia for everything it is doing. All deadlines have already been broken, dozens of opportunities for diplomacy ruined. Russia must feel accountable for every strike, for every day of this war.”
Von der Leyen promised to tighten the screws on the Russian war machine with a 19th package of EU sanctions that should be presented “soon”. In parallel, she said, the bloc will work on new ways to further mobilise Russia’s frozen assets, worth about €210 billion on EU soil, to finance Ukraine’s defence capabilities and reconstruction.
The Commission chief will begin on Friday an official trip to the member states bordering Russia and Belarus. “I want to express the EU’s full solidarity with them and share the progress we are making in building a strong European defence industry,” she said.
This article has been updated with more information.
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