Russia strikes EU delegation building in Kyiv

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🗞️ Driving the news: Russia launched a wave of drone and ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv early Thursday, causing major damage to the European Union’s delegation building
• Although staff were unharmed, the strike killed at least 10 people and injured 30 others
• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Moscow of targeting diplomatic infrastructure in violation of the Vienna Convention, while EU officials called the attack a deliberate escalation and an affront to ongoing peace efforts

🔭 The context: This attack occurs as U.S. President Donald Trump pursues a controversial peace initiative, proposing a trilateral meeting with Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy and signaling U.S. support for a European-led security force in Ukraine
• However, Russia has rebuffed key elements of the proposal — including European peacekeepers and territorial compromises — while continuing its military aggression
• The EU’s defense ministers are meeting today in Copenhagen to consider increased sanctions and support for Ukraine

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Russia’s assault on civilian and diplomatic targets underscores the severe humanitarian and geopolitical risks of prolonged conflict
• Beyond immediate destruction, war exacerbates environmental degradation, disrupts energy and food systems, and hinders progress on global climate cooperation
• Protecting international legal norms — such as safeguarding diplomatic missions — is critical to maintaining the rule-based global order that underpins environmental diplomacy and multilateral climate action

⏭️ What's next: Today’s EU defense summit in Copenhagen will likely yield fresh commitments on sanctions and military aid, while reinforcing unity against Russian aggression
• As pressure mounts on Moscow, diplomatic momentum remains fragile: peace negotiations hinge on contentious demands, with Russia insisting on control of the Donbas and rejecting international oversight. • EU leaders are expected to escalate diplomatic condemnation and explore further security guarantees for Ukraine, particularly ahead of any trilateral talks proposed by the U.S.

💬 One quote: “Russia’s aggression only strengthens our resolve to stand with Ukraine and its people,” — António Costa, President of the European Council

📈 One stat: The war cost Ukraine over $10 billion in damages in 2023 alone, according to estimates by international development agencies — a toll that continues to rise with each new wave of attacks.

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