Against the backdrop of Russia’s Oreshnik missile strike, President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a clear global response. “First and foremost from the United States, whose position Russia does take into account. Russia must receive signals that it is obliged to focus on diplomacy, and feel consequences every time it again focuses on killing and destroying infrastructure,” the Ukrainian leader said. He also said the Russian Oreshnik ballistic missile is a challenge for Hungary as well.
Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Defense Forces’ Intelligence Center, said Russia’s use of an Oreshnik ballistic missile in western Ukraine is a signal to the West.
“This strike matters because this is only the second Oreshnik launch of the war. The previous similar ballistic missile was used on November 21, 2024, when Dnipro was attacked. This time, the strike was much closer to the Polish border, roughly 80–100 kilometers away. So, without a doubt, it was a signal toward Europe or NATO,” the colonel said.
He said Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed the strike was retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian attack on the Russian president’s residence in Valdai - an allegation Ukraine denies. Western intelligence services, as well as Estonia’s, say they cannot corroborate the claim and characterize it as a smear campaign by Russia.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Russia’s use of the Oreshnik missile is an escalation against Ukraine intended to warn Europe and the United States.
Kallas said repeated Russian strikes only show Moscow’s unwillingness to end the war.
“Putin does not want peace; Russia’s answer to diplomatic efforts is even more missiles and destruction. This deadly pattern of repeated large-scale Russian strikes will continue until we help Ukraine break it,” she wrote.
The EU’s top diplomat urged member states to dig into their air-defense stockpiles and deliver systems to Ukraine immediately. Kallas also called for tougher sanctions against Russia.
Latvia plans to request an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over Russia’s “barbaric attack” on Ukraine, including the use of a medium-range ballistic missile near the borders of the European Union and NATO.
Latvia is serving this year as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
“Latvia will ask for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in response to Russia’s barbaric attack against Ukraine, including the use of a medium-range ballistic missile near the EU and NATO border,” she wrote.
