EU foreign affairs leader Kaja Kallas emphasised on Thursday that Russia is the real obstacle to peace in Ukraine, following a series of Russian airstrikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
"While claiming to seek peace, Russia launched a deadly airstrike on Kyiv. This is not a search for peace, but a mockery," Kallas stated on social media. “The real obstacle is not Ukraine, but Russia, whose war objectives have not changed.”
The Russian military conducted several overnight airstrikes on Kyiv between Wednesday and Thursday, resulting in eight deaths and at least 70 injuries. This barrage of strikes has occurred amid escalating diplomatic tensions.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump accused the Ukrainian president of blocking a potential agreement with Russia, which continues to assert its maximalist demands.
According to American media, Washington’s peace plan includes recognising Russia’s control over Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014. Trump also released a lengthy statement declaring that “Crimea has been lost for years” and is “not even a subject of debate.”
However, this recognition remains unacceptable to Kyiv and European nations.
The European Commission reiterated on Thursday that Ukraine is the only party capable of deciding the terms of peace with Russia. “Maintaining independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity is crucial,” a spokesperson affirmed.
