<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has condemned the Russian ballistic missile attack against the Ukrainian city of Sumy, and his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, expressed his gratitude “for consistently standing with Ukraine in words and actions.”</strong></h4> More than thirty Russian civilians, including two minors, died this Sunday as a result of the firing of two thousand Russian ballistic missiles against the center of Sumy, in northeastern Ukraine. "Russia continues its strategy of terror by firing two ballistic missiles at the city of Sumy. Another cruel massacre of civilians in Ukraine," Albares wrote on social media. "Our solidarity is with the victims, the people and the Government of Ukraine; our efforts are with a just and lasting peace," he added. “Thank you, dear José Manuel Albares, for consistently standing with Ukraine in words and actions,” Andrii Sybiha wrote in response to this message from the Spanish minister. “We need European unity and strength to counter Russian terror. And I am confident that we have you and Spain on our side,” he added. For her part, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen denounced “Russian cruelty,” which has caused the deaths of “men, women, and children in the city of Sumy” as a result of “a barbaric attack, made even more vile as people gathered peacefully to celebrate Palm Sunday.” This latest escalation is a grim reminder: Russia was and remains the aggressor, in blatant violation of international law. Strong measures are urgently needed to enforce a ceasefire. Europe will continue to reach out to partners and maintain strong pressure on Russia until the bloodshed ends and a just and lasting peace is achieved, on Ukraine’s terms and conditions,” she declared.
