EU condemns “reckless” and “vile” Russian attack on Zelenskyy and Mitsotakis in Odesa

EU high officials have strongly condemned the Russian missile attack on Odesa on 6 March during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

In Odesa, the two leaders paid tribute to the victims of the recent drone strike on a residential building, killing 12 people. According to Zelenskyy, they also discussed the operation of the grain corridor and the security situation in the Black Sea.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, called it a “vile attack”. “No one is intimidated by this new attempt at terror – certainly not the two leaders on the ground nor the brave people of Ukraine,” she wrote on X.

European Council President, Charles Michel, said this targeted missile strike is “another sign of Russia’s cowardly tactics in its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

“This is reprehensible and below even the Kremlin’s playbook,” Michel wrote in his account on X. “The EU’s full support to Ukraine and its brave people will not waver.”

EU High Representative Josep Borrell noted on X that this “reckless” attack proves again “Putin’s disregard for any norms and his willingness to escalate”.