Want peace? Start with Ukraine before the Middle East – French FM to Kremlin
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot (Getty Images)
Following Russia's overnight attack on Ukraine, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot sharply condemned the Kremlin's actions in his statement.
He emphasized that Russia, while claiming to seek peace in the Middle East, must first end its war in Ukraine.
"A deadly attack in Ukraine by Vladimir Putin's regime, whose brutality and cynicism truly know no bounds. To the Kremlin, which wants to establish peace in the Middle East: start with Ukraine," Barrot stated.
This statement came in the wake of yet another Russian attack on Ukraine on June 17, which prompted international condemnation of Moscow's actions.
Attack on Ukraine
In the early hours of June 17, Russia launched one of the most powerful assaults on Ukraine since the beginning of 2025. The strikes targeted Kyiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and several other regions.
According to official reports, Russia fired at least 440 Shahed kamikaze drones and at least 32 missiles, including Kh-101, Kinzhal, and Iskander ballistic missiles. The attack lasted more than nine hours — making it one of the longest since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Despite system exhaustion, Ukrainian air defense managed to intercept over 428 targets, including the majority of drones and several missiles. Nevertheless, more than 20 sites in Kyiv were directly hit, including residential buildings, kindergartens, schools, and administrative facilities.
At least 15 people were killed in Kyiv, and over 100 were injured. Among the victims was a US citizen who happened to be in the capital.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack "another act of Russian terrorism" and urged the international community not to ignore the scale of the crime.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared June 18 a day of mourning, stating that such attacks on a peaceful city could only be described as genocide.
Ukraine's Energy Minister reported damage to several energy facilities, and Ukrainian energy company DTEK confirmed that two workers were injured in the Dnipropetrovsk region as a result of First-Person View (FPV) drone strikes.
RBC-Ukraine published a report from the capital following the massive Russian assault.
