European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has condemned Russia’s reported use of the hypersonic “Oreshnik” missile in Ukraine, calling it an escalation and a warning to Europe and the United States.
“Putin does not want peace; Russia’s response to diplomacy is more missiles and destruction. This deadly pattern of repeated Russian attacks will continue until we help Ukraine break it,” Kallas said in a post on X.
She urged EU countries to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities and increase the cost of Russia’s war through harsher sanctions.
Background
The Russian Ministry of Defense said the missile strike targeted a residence linked to President Vladimir Putin in response to a suspected Ukrainian attack last month.
U.S.-led efforts to end the conflict have continued since President Donald Trump’s second term began in 2025, but so far, no concrete peace solution has been reached. Russia demands that any settlement recognize its control over occupied Ukrainian territories since 2022, while Kyiv insists on strong security guarantees and refuses territorial concessions.
European Reactions
European leaders have strongly condemned the missile strikes:
- Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal called the attacks “terror,” highlighting civilian hardships during winter, including lack of heat, electricity, and water.
- Romanian Foreign Minister Toiu Oana described the attacks on Kyiv and Lviv as serious violations of international humanitarian law and a threat to regional and international stability.
- Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna labeled the strike a deliberate provocation near EU and NATO borders, emphasizing that Russia “has not abandoned its goal to destroy Ukraine.”
- Latvian Foreign Ministry condemned the strike as “complete barbarism” and “calculated mass terror against civilians,” stating that the use of the “Oreshnik” constitutes a war crime.
- Portuguese government reaffirmed its “unconditional support” for Ukraine while condemning both the hypersonic missile strike in Lviv and drone attacks in Kyiv.
Kallas and other EU officials warn that Russia’s continued missile campaigns highlight the urgent need for European unity and strong defensive measures to deter further aggression.
