Alperen Aktas
14 April 2025•Update: 14 April 2025
ISTANBUL
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Monday called on EU governments to provide urgent support to the cities of Sumy and Kryvyi Rih after Russian missile attacks, urging stronger air defense assistance and increased pressure on Moscow.
Addressing the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg via video link, Sybiha urged governments and municipalities across Europe to consider direct aid to the affected cities.
Russian missiles struck the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday, killing 34 people.
The attack came after the April 4 missile strike on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's home town of Kryvyi Rih that killed at least 19 people.
The foreign minister called for urgent military aid to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities — including new systems, launchers, missiles, and spare parts — and suggested European investment in Ukraine’s strategic air defense development program.
Sybiha also outlined Ukraine’s broader military needs including ammunition, long-range missiles, armored vehicles, combat aviation, drones, and engineering equipment.
He welcomed initiatives led by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and support through the Czech-led ammunition coalition.
He also praised the ReArm Europe initiative launched by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Sybiha called for a complete ban on Russian energy imports, sanctions on the “shadow fleet,” use of frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction, and new restrictions on Russia’s banking, metallurgy, nuclear and IT sectors.
He emphasized Ukraine’s readiness to open EU accession negotiation clusters and warned against delays, saying EU integration is key to Europe’s long-term peace and stability.
“Our shared strategy toward Russia must be based not on concessions, but on strength, self-reliance, and leadership,” he said. “Putin will move deeper into Europe and closer to your homes if he’s not stopped in Ukraine.”
