As Russian strikes kill 23 in Kyiv, Zelenskyy urges Europe to define security guarantees

Explosions rocked the capital overnight, damaging residential blocks, energy facilities, and even the offices of the EU and British missions.

By: Express Web Desk
August 29, 2025 01:21 PM IST

3 min read

Hours before the assault, Zelenskyy addressed a virtual meeting of European leaders hosted by Poland, including the presidents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Denmark. (AP Photo)

Russia unleashed one of its largest attacks on Kyiv in months on Thursday, firing missiles and drones that killed at least 23 people and injured dozens more, according to city officials cited by Reuters. Explosions rocked the capital overnight, damaging residential blocks, energy facilities, and even the offices of the EU and British missions. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strikes were Moscow’s direct response to diplomatic efforts to end the war.

“Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table. It chooses to continue killing instead of ending the war,” he wrote on X, calling for tougher sanctions on the Kremlin.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attack as “another grim reminder” of Moscow’s tactics. She confirmed that missiles struck near the EU office in Kyiv within 20 seconds of each other, adding that member states were preparing a fresh package of sanctions and exploring how to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.

Zelenskyy pushes for security guarantees

Hours before the assault, Zelenskyy addressed a virtual meeting of European leaders hosted by Poland, including the presidents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Denmark. He urged them to define concrete security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any eventual peace deal.

“And when we talk about security guarantees, we need clear answers, who will help us defend on the ground, in the air and at sea if Russia comes again?” he said in remarks published on his official website.

The Ukrainian leader added that Europe needed to show unity, especially as US President Donald Trump has been pushing for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. “It is important that President Trump sees we in Europe are united in our determination to end the war,” Zelenskyy said.

US reaction and diplomatic efforts

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was “not happy” with the latest Russian attack, though “not surprised,” given the protracted nature of the conflict. The US president has attempted to broker talks between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning Moscow that further sanctions could follow if diplomacy fails, according to Reuters.

US special envoy Keith Kellogg said on X that Russia’s decision to strike civilian infrastructure undermined peace efforts, noting that the targets included residential areas and foreign diplomatic offices.

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Senior Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet Trump administration representatives in New York on Friday for further discussions, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, EU defence ministers are set to meet in Copenhagen on Friday, where Denmark said support for Ukraine and its defence industry would dominate the agenda.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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