European leaders strongly condemned the Russian strike on the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of the most revered sites of Orthodox Christianity and a UNESCO World Heritage monument, describing the attack as an assault on humanity’s shared cultural and spiritual heritage.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Russia had “once again demonstrated the full brutality of its actions.”
“For us French, this would be equivalent to bombing Notre-Dame or the Basilica of Saint-Denis,” Barrot stated, emphasizing the symbolic and spiritual significance of the Kyiv monastery. He also reaffirmed France’s support for continued sanctions against Russia, including measures targeting the so-called Russian shadow fleet and networks spreading Kremlin propaganda.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhna described the attack as another example of Russia’s “barbarity and contempt for humanity’s shared heritage.” Referring to the Lavra as “one of Christianity’s holiest monasteries” and a place of worship for nearly a millennium, he remarked: “Today, it burns because of Russia.”
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas linked the strike to a broader pattern of attacks on civilians and cultural sites, saying that Russia’s actions constitute war crimes. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul likewise condemned the attack, calling it evidence of Moscow’s unwillingness to pursue peace and describing the strike as an assault on “European cultural values of incalculable significance.”
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys urged the European Union to adopt stronger sanctions, stressing that “for Russia, no red lines exist anymore.” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda echoed that sentiment, stating that the attack demonstrated that “nothing is sacred” for Russia.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced that Ukraine was initiating all relevant procedures within UNESCO and called for a firm international response. “We expect no vague words, no silence, no weak steps,” he said, demanding concrete measures to stop what he described as Russian barbarism.
Source: euromaidanpress.com
