'We must secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine with firm and credible security guarantees that will turn the country into a steel porcupine. Europe will fully play its part,' says European Commission president
After separate talks with the US and Ukrainian presidents, the European Commission president on Thursday called on the Russian president to return to the negotiating table, following Moscow's massive overnight strike on Kyiv, which also damaged the EU Delegation offices in the Ukrainian capital.
Ursula von der Leyen said she spoke separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the attack, which killed at least 18 people and injured dozens more.
"Just spoke with President @ZelenskyyUa, then @POTUS Donald Trump, following the massive strike on Kyiv which also hit our EU offices. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin must come to the negotiating table," she said through the US social media company X.
"We must secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine with firm and credible security guarantees that will turn the country into a steel porcupine. Europe will fully play its part. Our defence instrument SAFE, for example, will be important to strengthening the brave Ukrainian armed forces," she said.
At least 18 people, including four children, were killed and 48 others injured in a Russian attack on Kyiv early Thursday, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The Kyiv City Military Administration said earlier that the number of casualties increased to 48 as of 9.34 am local time (0634GMT), with 12 confirmed deaths.
The Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office reported that the consequences of the morning strike were recorded in eight districts of the capital, including Darnytskyi, Dniprovskyi, Solomyanskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Holosiivskyi, Obolonskyi, Svyatoshynskyi, and Desnyanskyi.
In the Darnytskyi district, part of a five-story residential building was destroyed, and rescue operations are underway to search for people trapped under the rubble. Windows in nearby high-rise buildings were shattered, cars were damaged, and private homes sustained destruction, the prosecutor’s office said.
