European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for stronger air defence for Europe, pledging to raise the issue at the NATO summit in Ankara this week. In a post on X, von der Leyen condemned the latest Russian attack on Kyiv, which involved over 400 drones and missiles targeting the capital overnight on Monday.
Massive Russian attack on Kyiv
Firefighters were seen working on a partially collapsed building at the scene of the attack, as Russian missiles and drones struck Kyiv overnight. The assault underscores the urgent need for additional air defence systems to protect Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.
EU support and sanctions
Von der Leyen highlighted that the EU recently provided the first €4 billion under a €90 billion loan to strengthen Ukraine's defence with advanced drone technology. She added that more support is coming soon and that the EU is working to finalize the 21st sanctions package against Russia in the coming days. "We will keep increasing the pressure until Russia ends the bloodshed," she said.
