Just entered my office and heard a very loud bang. A jet powered drone hit an object just behind a building seen from my office windrow. This follows on earlier hits this morning, also close to 🇪🇺 Delegation. Also two gasoline station were hit in Kyiv city. This russian terror never stops… @EUDelegationUA

“Welcome back, Katarína,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, shaking my hand and smiling. That was exactly three years ago today. It was a sunny day, and the sunlight found its way into the beautiful Saint Sophia Cathedral. I had just presented my credentials to the President. Those words have stayed with me ever since. Before becoming EU Ambassador, I had worked closely with Ukraine for years at the European Commission. So I was not arriving in a country of strangers. I was returning to a country where people knew me, including its President, and which already meant a great deal to me. That day, I presented my credentials alongside the ambassadors of France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Estonia and Slovenia. Three years later, only Mateja from Slovenia and I are still here. Everyone else has completed their mission and moved on. Today, I begin my fourth and final year. I have travelled across Ukraine in every direction. I have never wanted to lead this mission from behind a desk. I wanted to be in the regions, to listen and to understand. I have met extraordinary people who will remain in my heart forever. There has been war, permanent stress and more horror than anyone should ever witness. But I have also seen the immense strength of Ukrainians. Ukraine is fighting on two fronts. In the trenches, for its survival. And at home, for its place in the EU, carrying out difficult reforms that many member states struggled to deliver even in peacetime. I love this country deeply. I bow to its courage and resilience. And despite the war and the daily tragedies, I thank fate for the privilege of being here. 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦

Russia once again hit an international business operating in Ukraine. This time, it carried out a double strike on a logistics facility serving McDonald’s. Relentless attacks disrupt Ukrainians’ daily lives, damage businesses, threaten jobs, and undermine international investment. It proves Russia does not want this war to end. It wants the world to pay the price for its terror. We call on all our partners to maintain and strengthen economic pressure on Russia. This is essential to reducing its capacity to continue the war.

Much-needed support for Ukraine at a crucial moment. 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦 Europe is standing with Ukraine & continuing to turn its commitment into concrete action.

I was in Poltava, a city where history is never just the past. That was my first thought as I stood by the monument to Ivan Mazepa. More than 300 years ago, Mazepa understood that Moscow threatened Ukrainian autonomy. He broke with Peter the Great and chose a European alliance with the Swedish King. It ended in a defeat here at the Battle of Poltava, but the choice Mazepa made still resonates today. The main reason for my visit was to open an academic building renovated with support from the 🇪🇺 and the European Investment Bank, represented by Kristina Mikulova. New heating, modern equipment, accessible spaces and a shelter for 1000 people will improve daily life for nearly 2,900 students and 86 staff members. The gratitude of the students and teachers was deeply moving. We started the day with the daily Minute of Silence to the fallen heroes and lighting candles, together with the city and regional authorities, to honour their sacrifice. At the State Emergency Service training and rehabilitation centre, I met rescuers who come from across Ukraine to train, study and recover. And one small childhood dream came true!! I sat inside a fire truck and switched on the siren:). Then we got hungry and tasted the region through halushky, kachana kasha and varenyky with poppy seeds and cherries. Yummy. To finish in Poltava we swung by a rather curious looking statue to William Shakespeare rather hidden in a university botanical garden. You judge yourself. Our final stop was an embroidery studio in the town of Reshetylivka, supported by the EU. Its artisans preserve the extraordinary white-on-white embroidery tradition while creating works for international exhibitions. And yes, I left with a beautiful white vyshyvanka for my collection. Thank you, Poltava. What a full and also delicious day we had! 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦

🇪🇺 support for 🇺🇦 continues! Reforms under Ukraine facility led to today’s approval of 3bn EUR tranche. @EUDelegationUA

Glad to speak with Estonian Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture Hendrik Johannes Terras @terrashendrikj during his visit to Kyiv. Discussed food security, agricultural recovery & 🇺🇦’s EU enlargement process as well as opportunities to strengthen cooperation in the agricultural sphere. 🇪🇺🇪🇪🤝🇺🇦

❗ ❗ ❗ Some breaking news from Kyiv with your lunch. A little while ago, in a span of fifteen or twenty minutes we heard three enormous, deafening explosions. These were followed huge plumes of smoke. We could see that from our offices. We immediately moved from our offices into the corridor. The photo shows how we are working right now. russians do not let us sleep, breathe or work. 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦

Good morning from Ukraine. This is the view from the windows of the EU Delegation today. Buildings nearby are burning. This morning, russia attacked two petrol stations and warehouses in Kyiv. It also targeted the capital’s railway infrastructure. Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, head of Ukrainian Railways, reported that a railway worker returning home after his shift was hit by shrapnel. He is now in hospital. An ordinary man, returning from work. That is how civilians become victims of this war. Civilian trains and railway facilities are burning. People travelling to work or returning home are being attacked. More than 260 Ukrainian locomotives have been hit in 2026 alone. This is the reality of war. It is ugly, brutal and deeply tragic. If you woke up in peace today, my friends, do not take it for granted. 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦 Train photos: Oleksandr Pertsovskyi FB

Dear Volodymyr @ZelenskyyUa, Europe is working harder than ever to strengthen Ukraine’s defence. Our new 🇪🇺🇺🇦 anti-ballistic programme can help rapidly scale up production. More defence support is coming. And as reforms in the Rada progress, more budget support too. We have €37 billion still available in this calendar year. In New York, my message to every leader is clear: we must all step up support for Ukraine’s defence.

Good evening from Ukraine. I wish this were a film. But the sirens, explosions and fear are real. Overnight, russia launched 212 drones, along with missiles and other weapons. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, four people were killed and six injured. In Kyiv, a strike on a five-storey apartment building injured four people. Yesterday, attacks on Zaporizhzhia damaged apartment buildings and a shopping mall. They also destroyed the oldest building of Zaporizhzhia National University, built in 1902. Five people were injured. In Lozova, one person was killed. That is just two days in Ukraine. In the places named here alone, five people were killed and at least 15 injured. Homes, a university and railway infrastructure were damaged. Putin shows no sign of stopping. He is killing Ukrainians and destroying their country every day. We must never let the repetition of these attacks make them seem ordinary. 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦

The so-called Duma elections marked another major setback for Russian democracy. Their outcome was never in doubt. The Kremlin silenced dissent, barred the only registered party that opposed its war in Ukraine, and shut out international election monitors. The veneer of democracy is all that remains in Russia. I have proposed measures against those facilitating these sham elections in occupied Ukrainian territories.

Ukraine has received €3.3 billion from the EU under the Ukraine Support Loan, @KoretskyiUA says. The funds will go towards urgent defence needs, including the procurement of missiles and drones for Ukraine’s Defence Forces. Europe’s support saves lives and strengthens Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. 🇺🇦🤝🇪🇺

Pressure on russia must continue. The adoption of the Graham Bill by 🇺🇸 shows that coordinated action can help weaken russia’s war machine and bring us closer to a just and lasting peace. Now is the time to act. 🇺🇦🇪🇺🇺🇸

Kyiv has become a frontline city. Since 27 August we have nighttime and daytime attacks. russians struck us heavily during last night, with a massive combined missiles & drones attack. The attack ended just a few minutes ago. It began yesterday evening and continued practically throughout the night in several waves until the morning. russia launched dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles and hundreds of drones, more than half of them jet powered. Missiles and drones struck 36 locations. The main targets were the Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa regions. Homes were hit. Over a dozen people, including children, injured just in Kyiv. And this morning a drone hit a multistory apartment building. The steam of terrible news just does not stop… Kyiv has now been under the terror of the new jet powered drones since end August. They are faster and much harder to intercept. The attacks last for hours. People no longer sleep through the night. The number of dead and in just Kyiv and its Region is close to 120 just since the beginning of August. And it keeps growing. russia is increasingly targeting civilian transport. Yesterday, a passenger train in the Mykolaiv region was attacked three times. All 168 passengers and crew escaped only because they had been evacuated. This morning another was struck on the route from Odesa to Dnipro. I love Ukrainian trains. I love travelling on them. Today I still do, but with fear. Travelling across Ukraine by train has become a gamble with your life. A russian roulette played with civilians. These attacks are cutting families and loved ones off from one another. And the message from the russian Foreign Ministry? It called railway infrastructure carrying Western equipment a “legitimate military target” and said no one could guarantee the safety of Western politicians and diplomats visiting Ukraine. That is not a warning. It is an admission. russia has turned Kyiv into a frontline. And civilians into targets. 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦

Night of fear. Night of relentless attacks. Night that never ended. At least 18 people are injured in Kyiv, including two children. russia keeps attacking 🇺🇦 capital. Strikes continue throughout the morning. How many more nights of terror must Ukrainians endure. #WeStandWithUkraine 🇺🇦🤝🇪🇺

💔 Five people were killed & seven injured after a Russian drone struck a bus in Nikopol this morning. Just a bus with civilians. Ordinary people whose lives were cut short in the middle of an ordinary day. The world must not look away!!🕯️

Today, one of the loudest rounds of applause in the European Parliament belonged to a ten year old Ukrainian girl. Sasha Paskal was six when a russian missile destroyed her home in the Odesa region. A concrete slab crushed her leg. She spent 15 days in a coma and doctors had to amputate her left leg. Seven months later, she returned to rhythmic gymnastics with a prosthesis. Sasha has just completed her Dance of Freedom tour, performing in Paris, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi and Tokyo. Today, she was President Ursula von der Leyen’s special guest at the State of the European Union address in Strasbourg. I am proud that the EU Delegation helped Sasha make her journey from Odesa to Chisinau safely. Crossing Ukraine became very dangerous as russians continue to attack civilian buses and trains. Just this morning, a russian drone hit a passenger bus in Nikopol, killing five people and injuring seven. And they also attacked a train headed for Mykolaiv. In her address, President von der Leyen made Europe’s position clear: Ukraine is fighting for Europe’s freedom. Our support will remain unwavering. Europe will speed up the Freyja air defence system and prepare a European Security Strategy. It will also use resources from the SAFE programme for joint 🇺🇦🇪🇺 projects. The latest russian operations in Lithuania, Denmark, Germany or Poland were not merely threats. They were attacks on our Union. Europe now needs an emergency security protocol, modelled on NATO’s Article IV. And a European Security Council able to coordinate an immediate response. Another special guest in Strasbourg was Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. President von der Leyen opened the door for Canada to become the EU’s first associate member. An alliance of democracies that see russia as a threat and Ukraine as an ally that is protecting our peace. Today in Strasbourg, the members of the 🇪🇺 Parliament saw Sasha’s strength. Her strenght is the strength of Ukraine. A strength Putin can never understand. After the attack, Sasha rose. Just as Ukraine rises after every attack. Hurt. Wounded. But UNBROKEN. 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦 Photo: Hope for Ukraine