‘Putin must come to negotiating table’: EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen

BRUSSELS: European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday spoke to US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “come to the negotiating table,” after massive airstrikes on Kyiv that also damaged the European Union’s delegation office.

She said Europe would continue to back Ukraine with security guarantees and defence support to ensure a “just and lasting peace.”

In a post on X, “Just spoke with the President @ZelenskyyUa, then @POTUS Donald Trump, following the massive strike on Kyiv which also hit our EU offices. Putin must come to the negotiating table. We must secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine with firm and credible security guarantees that will turn the country into a steel porcupine. Europe will fully play its part”.

Just spoke with President @ZelenskyyUa, then @POTUS Donald Trump, following the massive strike on Kyiv which also hit our EU offices.

Putin must come to the negotiating table.

We must secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine with firm and credible security guarantees that…

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 28, 2025

The EU Commission chief also stated that she will be travelling to the 7 Member States “that strengthen and protect our external borders with Russia and Belarus”.

Ursula von der Leyen, on Thursday, condemned Russian airstrikes against Kyiv, which damaged the EU delegation. Von der Leyen called for an end to attacks on civilian infrastructure and negotiations.

In a post on X, she said, “Another night of Russia’s relentless bombings struck civilian infrastructure and killed innocents. It also hit our EU Delegation in Kyiv. Our Delegation staff is safe. Russia must stop its indiscriminatory attacks on civilian infrastructure immediately and join negotiations for a just and lasting peace.”

Russia’s latest missile attack on Kyiv “severely” damaged the delegation building of the European Union (EU), Euro News reported, citing the bloc’s ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova. Russia had launched a barrage of missiles on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on Wednesday night, killing at least 10 people and leaving dozens injured, Euro News reported on Thursday. (ANI)