S C I P I ◎ 🇳🇱🇪🇺

European Army, NOW!

As of now, already 5 people have been reported killed in Kyiv as a result of last night’s Russian attack. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Around 40 people have been injured in the capital, and another 7 in the Kyiv region. There are already 28 injured in Kharkiv. And two people have been injured in the Odesa region. In total, 180 sites have been damaged across the country, including more than 50 ordinary residential buildings. A search and rescue operation is still ongoing in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district. Efforts continue to find people under the rubble. More than 10 people are reported missing. All necessary services are also operating in the Obolonskyi district. And recovery efforts are underway after Russian strikes in the Poltava region. Overall, more than 750 personnel of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and nearly 750 police officers have already been engaged across the country to eliminate the consequences of the attack. I am grateful to all who help the rescuers and the police Also, earlier today, during a humanitarian mission in Kherson, the Russians twice attacked a vehicle of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs with FPV drones, and the Russians could not have been unaware of which vehicle they were targeting. The Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and eight other staff members were inside. Fortunately, no one was injured. The mission personnel have been evacuated. Even so, a significant number of missiles and drones were shot down during these attacks – the overall interception rate is over 93%. Of course, it needs to be higher. And of course, the most difficult challenge is defending against ballistic missiles. I thank everyone who is helping us with this. There must be a just response to all these strikes. And pressure on Moscow must be such that they feel the consequences of their terror there. It is important that global sanctions against Russia remain in place. Russia’s accountability for this war, and our sanctions pressure, must work at full strength. And it is also very important that the world does not stay silent about this terror and stands with Ukraine.

Trump has been threatening such reductions to a number of European and Asian allies going back to his first term. This particular announcement comes the same day he spoke with Putin - and it’s a development Russia would certainly welcome.

The grim battlefield math shows Russia is losing a record number of soldiers. For the first time in years, Moscow’s Victory parade is about to take place without any heavy military equipment. This tells a lot about how the war is going for Russia. Next month, EU Foreign Affairs Ministers will continue the conversation on our approach to Russia, and how best to defend our security interests. My press remarks following the Nordic-Baltic Ministerial meeting ↓