“The brutal face” of the Russian army has become visible in the Ukrainian city of Butsa, a clearly distressed Ursula von der Leyen said on a visit to Ukraine on Friday.
While visiting the largely destroyed city with other senior EU representatives, forensic investigators in Butja were collecting remains from a mass grave of people shot by Russian soldiers. Some of the victims had their hands tied behind their backs. Shortly before von der Leyen’s arrival, news came that about fifty people had been killed in a Russian missile attack on a packed station in Kramatorsk.
Von der Leyen had traveled to Kiev by train. She told reporters traveling with her that her main message to Ukraine was that “there will be an EU path” for the country. The European Union, along with other donor countries, will help Ukraine “emerge from the war as a democratic country,” von der Leyen said. Also on the train were Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, and Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger. On Friday evening, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer left for a visit to Kiev on Saturday.
We want to show that Ukraine is not a country dominated by a foreign invasion force, Borrell said. “There is still a government that receives people from outside. You can travel to Kiev.” He screened the promise of new EU financial aid worth around €500 million in the coming days.
During a visit to Butja, the EU delegation was told by its Ukrainian escorts that hundreds of civilians had been killed by Russian soldiers in that city. “The unthinkable has happened here,” said von der Leyen. “We have seen the brutal face of Putin’s army. We have seen the stupidity and coldness with which they have occupied the city.”
After her visit, she reiterated that the EU will do everything possible to help Ukraine “take the necessary steps” to join the European Union – one of Ukrainian President Zelensky’s main requests. “The whole world mourns with the people of Butsa,” said von der Leyen. They “defend Europe’s borders, defend humanity, defend democracy, and that is why we are with them in this important battle.”
Von der Leyen had a meeting with Zelensky at the end of the day in Kiev. “Russia is moving towards economic, financial and technological dissolution, while Ukraine is moving towards a European future,” the committee chair said at a joint press conference Friday night. She warned that EU countries should be alert to Russia’s various attempts to circumvent the sanctions imposed. If necessary, existing sanctions should be further tightened, she said.
Borrell had said earlier in the day that oil is “the big elephant in the room” in the discussion on sanctions. Forgoing Russian oil would lead to price increases that are harmful to the European economy. (Reuters, AFP)
A version of this article also appeared in NRC Handelsblad on 9 April 2022
A version of this article also appeared in NRC on the morning of April 9, 2022