Morning opening: G7, EU leaders meet after deadly strikes on Kyiv, including Unesco-listed religious site
G7 leaders are scheduled to meet in Évian-les-Bains, France, later today to address critical global issues including the conflict in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza, and developments in Iran.
The summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, will feature an update from US President Donald Trump on the Iran peace deal reached overnight. Trump has also been engaged in various activities ahead of the summit.
As noted by diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour,
“the French president has no idea if Trump, a haphazard summit attender, will last the full three days – or disrupt the proceedings every hour he stays.”
On Monday, approximately 20,000 demonstrators clashed with police in nearby Geneva during protests against the gathering of world leaders.
Separately, EU foreign ministers convened in Luxembourg with a similar agenda.
The situation in Ukraine is a prominent topic in both meetings following a Russian attack overnight that resulted in at least nine fatalities and over 20 injuries due to heavy strikes on Kyiv.
The Unesco-listed Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery was also targeted during the attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strike as
“one of Russia’s most serious crimes against Christian culture to date.”
He added,
“This is how Russia shows the world its intention to continue the war. It is very important that there be a response from the G7 countries, which are now gathering for their summit – and that this response be decisive and substantive: more pressure on the aggressor and more support for Ukraine’s air defence, especially anti-ballistic capabilities.”
France led the international condemnations, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stating the attack on the religious site was
“the equivalent, for us in France, as if Notre Dame or Saint Denis had been bombed, which is totally unacceptable.”
I will provide ongoing updates here.
It is Monday, 15 June 2026, Jakub Krupa reporting, and this is Europe Live.
Kyiv attacks 'yet another reminder' of Russian escalation, EU's Costa says
European Council President António Costa characterized the overnight bombings targeting civilians and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a Unesco World Heritage site, as
“yet another reminder that Russia is continuing its escalation.”
He stated,
“These attacks demonstrate Russia’s unwillingness to engage seriously in peace negotiations. But time is not on Russia’s side. When G7 Leaders meet in Evian today, we will discuss how to increase pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
Two Shahed drones on site of cathedral strike contradict Russian claims
On Monday morning, state security officers were observed near the Perchersk-Lavra complex inspecting the remains of two Shahed drones, which contradicts Russian claims denying responsibility for the strike.
Nearby, a gilded dome lay toppled in the street after being struck by a drone that hit the upper floors of the Art Arsenal museum space.
A young priest, who volunteers as an army chaplain and declined to give his name, recounted,
“I only heard one of the two strikes at 4.55am in the morning. The explosion was massive and blew open one of our windows. Everything was shaking.”
He added,
“I’m from Bakhmut [the Donbas city levelled during Russia’s devastating siege and capture]. This site is important to everyone. But for the Russians nothing is sacred there is no sanctuary. They will claim there was a military object here because they have no values.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced on X that Ukraine would be
“urgently initiating procedures within Unesco and other international mechanisms to ensure immediate and adequate responses to this state barbarism,”
referring to the monastery attack.
Sweden wants European allies to move on Russia's shadow fleet
Sweden has called on European partners to intensify efforts to restrict Russia’s shadow fleet, which facilitates oil revenue flows that fund the Kremlin’s war efforts.
Sweden has intercepted five shadow fleet vessels so far this year and urges other countries to act against these often poorly maintained vessels that transport Russian oil in violation of Western sanctions.
In a joint letter to EU leaders, Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Stenergard and Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin wrote,
“It is crucial that all member states share the responsibility to constrain the ecosystem that supports these vessels.”
The ministers also highlighted that the shadow fleet
“undermines maritime safety standards and poses environmental risks to our waters.”
Stenergard stated,
“The shadow fleet is funding drones and missiles hitting Ukraine. If we’re serious about bringing the war to an end, acting against the shadow fleet is not optional.”
This intervention followed actions taken on Sunday for the first time since the war in Ukraine, with other countries having taken similar measures in the past.
Sweden also urged the swift adoption of the EU’s latest proposed sanctions against Russia, which include measures to limit Russia’s oil revenues amid surging oil prices. The EU’s 21st sanctions package, proposed last week, aims to reduce Russian gains from rising oil prices.
According to Sweden, Russia’s oil revenues declined by 50% year on year in January 2026, prior to the recent conflict in Iran which has disrupted oil markets. European nations are concerned that rising oil prices are increasing funds available to the Kremlin for its war efforts.
G7 summit to discuss pressure on Russia, how to bring Putin to negotiating table, EU's von der Leyen says
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed skepticism regarding Russian explanations for the attacks.
Ahead of the G7 summit, she posted,
“We will discuss the next steps to increase pressure on Russia, bring Putin to the negotiating table, and end this senseless killing. Europe wants peace. Nobody more than the Ukrainian people. Russia, on the other hand, showed again its sole interest in violence and destruction.”
Russia claims it didn't strike historic monastery, blames Ukraine air defence for damage
Russia denied targeting the historic Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv during overnight strikes on military factories in the Ukrainian capital. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that a US-made Patriot air defence missile caused the damage to the religious site.
The ministry stated, as quoted by ,
“The armed forces of the Russian Federation do not plan or carry out strikes against civilian infrastructure.”
It added,
“One possible reason for the malfunction of this system could be that western countries supplied the Kyiv regime with missiles that had expired.”
Russian attacks on civilian targets amount to 'war crimes' and Moscow 'will have to answer for them,' EU's top diplomat says
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas condemned the overnight attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets and the Unesco World Heritage site in Kyiv, stating they constitute
“war crimes” and “Russia will have to answer for them.”
Chairing the meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers, Kallas said,
“In response, today we are adopting additional sanctions targeting Russia’s military-industrial complex and its shadow fleet. Every measure further restricts Russia’s room for manoeuvre.”
G7 summit to discuss Ukraine peace after unjustified strike on monastery, Macron says
French President Emmanuel Macron, host of the G7 summit, also condemned the attack on the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery.
In a post on X, he stated,
“nothing justifies this attack on our universal heritage.”
He added,
“France stands ready to cooperate with the Ukrainian authorities in charge of heritage. This attack only strengthens our determination to do everything, with our allies and partners, to work toward a ceasefire that Russia continues to obstinately refuse, and then toward peace. We will strive for this at the G7 in Evian.”
