EU reacts to Russia's threat of systematic strikes on Kyiv
Photo: European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper (Getty Images)
Following Russia’s latest threats to launch systematic strikes on the Ukrainian capital, the European Union summoned Russia’s Chargé d'Affairs, according to European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper.
She stressed that threats against foreign citizens and diplomats urging them to leave Kyiv are "an unacceptable escalation."
"The European External Action Service summoned the Chargé d'Affairs, calling to stop hitting civilians and to engage in genuine peace talks, starting with a full and unconditional ceasefire," she wrote on X.
The spokesperson also emphasized that the European Union’s delegation to Ukraine continues to operate in Kyiv.
What preceded it
Yesterday, May 25, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that strikes on Kyiv were carried out in response and will continue to be carried out.
Later, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, threatened new strikes on Kyiv and urged diplomats to evacuate.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, called it an open announcement of terror against civilians, while EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová said diplomats and foreign citizens do not intend to leave Kyiv because of Russia's threats.
Meanwhile, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) explained why the threats are not a response to Ukraine’s actions, but rather a result of the Kremlin’s own failures.
