MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
A Russian air attack severely damaged the European Union's mission in downtown Kyiv. No staff were harmed, but Teri Schultz reports the incident is driving EU leaders to step up their fight to support Ukraine.
TERI SCHULTZ, BYLINE: EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova says this is an example of how Russia seeks peace - at least 10 people killed, dozens injured and many buildings destroyed, including her own office. Mathernova posted photos of the damaged diplomatic mission in Kyiv and declared the EU will not be intimidated. Back in Brussels, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was outraged.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
URSULA VON DER LEYEN: This is why we are keeping maximum pressure on Russia.
SCHULTZ: That pressure, von der Leyen warns, will be ratcheted up in the coming weeks as the bloc is negotiating a 19th package of sanctions against Moscow aimed at reducing its ability to continue attacking Ukraine.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
VON DER LEYEN: And in parallel, we are advancing the work on the Russian frozen assets to contribute to Ukraine's defense and reconstruction.
SCHULTZ: She's referring to a proposal to move some $230 billion worth of Russian assets that have been frozen in European accounts into riskier investments in order to earn more interest on them. Those profits are now being given to Ukraine to help pay for the damage Russia's causing. EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss this option for the first time, along with the sanctions package, as they meet in Copenhagen Saturday. Defense ministers take the stage first on Friday, examining what they're prepared to offer in ongoing discussions over potential security guarantees for Ukraine in an eventual peace agreement with Russia.
(SOUNDBITE OF BELL CHIMING)
SCHULTZ: But as she arrived for those talks, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wasn't optimistic any deal will soon be inked.
KAJA KALLAS: Putin is just mocking any kind of peace efforts that are made. So what we have to do is increase pressure on Russia.
SCHULTZ: Also on the table there, how to improve their capabilities to defend European Union territory in the worst-case scenario - that Russia is not stopped in Ukraine.
For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz in Brussels.
(SOUNDBITE OF MICHAEL NYMAN'S "FISH BEACH") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.