Melike Pala
24 May 2026•Update: 24 May 2026
European leaders and officials have strongly condemned a wave of Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, describing the strikes as deliberate targeting of civilians and a further escalation of the war, while reaffirming continued military and political support for Kyiv.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday that the attacks reflected "brutality and disregard for both human life and peace negotiations," adding that further European support for Ukraine's air defense systems was being prepared.
"Terror against civilians is not strength. It's despair," she said through US social media company X.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the strikes reflected a shift by Russia toward what she described as "terror tactics" against urban centers, arguing that battlefield setbacks were leading to increased attacks on civilian areas.
"These are abhorrent acts of terror meant to kill as many civilians as possible. ... Next week, EU Foreign Ministers will discuss how to dial up the international pressure on Russia," she said on X.
"France condemns this attack and the use of the Oreshnik ballistic missile, which above all signal a kind of headlong rush and the impasse of Russia's war of aggression," French President Emmanuel Macron said on X, expressing support for Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin "strongly condemns" what he called a reckless escalation, reiterating that Germany remains firmly committed to Ukraine's sovereignty and defense.
"I strongly condemn Russia’s massive and indiscriminate missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities last night. The deliberate targeting of civilians is a war crime," Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said, while expressing solidarity with victims and their families.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said the strikes showed no indication of a willingness by Moscow to pursue peace, stressing that civilian areas were again directly hit.
"There is no justification for attacks that terrorize an entire population. ... Belgium condemns these attacks in the strongest possible terms," he said, expressing his support for Ukraine.
The statements followed reports from Ukrainian authorities of widespread strikes involving missiles and drones across multiple regions, including Kyiv and surrounding areas.
Ukrainian officials said residential buildings, infrastructure, and government facilities were damaged, with casualties reported.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched around 90 missiles and approximately 600 drones in the latest wave of attacks, causing injuries and fatalities, though full casualty figures were still being assessed.
Russia, meanwhile, said it carried out what it called a "large-scale retaliatory strike" targeting Ukrainian military and defense-industrial sites, claiming the operation involved multiple types of missiles and drones and achieved its objectives.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the strikes were in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian-controlled territory earlier in the week, including an incident in the Luhansk region.
