In the aftermath of a devastating overnight assault on Kyiv, EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas announced she will propose new sanctions targeting those who support Russia’s war machine.
At least 13 people were killed and 86 injured in the latest overnight strike on Kyiv, as Russia unleashed a massive barrage of 74 missiles and cruise missiles alongside 496 drones. The attack, one of the heaviest in recent weeks, left residential areas and infrastructure scarred, while officials in Ukraine continued rescue operations through the morning.
Brussels’ chief diplomat Kaja Kallas responded with unusually sharp language and a clear promise of escalation on the sanctions front. “Today, I will propose to sanction more entities supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex in response to the strikes,” she wrote on X. “The more Moscow attacks civilians, the more sanctions must be imposed.”
Her message went further than routine diplomatic language. “Words of condemnation alone will not stop attacks on Kyiv. Only sustained military support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Moscow can do that,” she stressed, framing the conflict as a long game of endurance rather than reaction. She also confirmed that EU staff in Kyiv are accounted for, adding a quiet note of relief amid the broader chaos.
€90bn loan starts flowing
The EU, meanwhile, is already pushing financial support into motion. This week saw the start of disbursement of €6 billion from a broader €90 billion loan package aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defence capabilities. The distribution of the funds is spread across this year and the next.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence described the overnight strikes as retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure on Russian territory, claiming its missiles hit military and energy infrastructure as well as airfields across several regions.
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Moscow’s claims that it is striking only military targets stand in stark contrast to the repeated civilian toll reported in Kyiv. The message from Brussels therefore remains one of sustained pressure and escalation. As Kaja Kallas put it: “We keep raising the cost until Russia understands it cannot win.”
