Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a message of support to Ukraine a day after the Russian attack in Odessa, close to where the prime minister and the Greek delegation were, before the meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.
“No one will intimidate us,” Mitsotakis said speaking at the European People’s Party conference in Bucharest.
“I think we all have a message for the Kremlin: we will not be afraid, we will continue to support Ukraine and its brave citizens for as long as it takes. And we remain united on this issue,” he said.
“We showed our support to Ukraine in a way that was surprising to some of our enemies,” Mitsotakis continued. He noted that Europe has never shown such a response, with the sanctions on Russia and with the support of Ukraine militarily and financially.
The visit of Mitsotakis to Odessa and the meeting with Zelensky, for security reasons, were not officially announced.
“My presence here reflects the respect of the entire free world for your people and underlines Greece’s commitment to remain by your side,” Mitsotakis told Zelensky in his first visit to the country since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
EU leaders show support for Mitsotakis on Ukraine visit
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, commented on the attack in the Black Sea port of Odesa just before a scheduled meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The attack on #Odesa during President @ZelenskyyUa and PM @kmitsotakis visit is another sign of Russia’s cowardly tactics in its war of aggression against Ukraine.
This is reprehensible and below even the Kremlin’s playbook.
The EU’s full support to Ukraine and its brave people…
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) March 6, 2024
In a post on platform X on Wednesday Michel characterized the attack as “another sign of Russia’s cowardly tactics,” adding that “The EU’s full support to Ukraine and its brave people will not waver.”
Von der Leyen also condemned the attack with a post on platform X stating, “More than ever, we stand by Ukraine.”
I strongly condemn the vile attack on Odesa by Russia during @ZelenskyyUa and @kmitsotakis's visit.
No one is intimidated by this new attempt at terror – certainly not the two leaders on the ground nor the brave people of Ukraine.
More than ever, we stand by Ukraine.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 6, 2024
Bomb explosion in Odessa
The explosion erupted in the Black Sea port of Odessa on Wednesday approximately 200 meters away from the Greek prime minister’s location, just before a scheduled meeting between the Greek and Ukranian leaders. Despite this, the meeting proceeded without disruption.
Five people were killed in the strike and more were wounded, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, Dmytro Pletenchuk, told CNN.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the explosion in Ukraine’s Odessa on Wednesday as a precision military hit.
“At 11.40 Moscow time today, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a high-precision missile strike on a hangar in the industrial port district of the city of (Odesa), which was used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to prepare uncrewed boats for combat. The goal of the strike has been accomplished. The facility has been hit,” the ministry said.
Some Ukrainian media outlets alleged the missile strike targeted Zelensky.
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