EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and foreign ministers from across the bloc arrived in Kyiv to attend a memorial on Tuesday for victims of the 2022 Bucha killings.
The Russian army is accused of killing hundreds of civilians in the Kyiv suburb at the beginning of the war in Ukraine, as Moscow troops withdrew on March 31.
What do we know about the Bucha memorial visit?
The informal meeting is to remember the “horrific tragedy” in Bucha, a spokeswoman for the European Commission said.
The top politicians attended a memorial service in the small town and then convene for a ministerial meeting. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is on the guest list along with his counterparts from countries including Poland, Italy, and Sweden.
The talks are expected to focus on continued support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian forces, as Hungary maintains its stranglehold on financial aid to Kyiv. Wadephul said the visit was intended to send a clear signal: “The Ukrainian people are part of our European family,” the minister said.
Wadephul said that the message to Russia was that those responsible for the war and the crimes committed must not go unpunished. He said the German government would support Ukraine in collecting evidence and documenting Russian crimes.
Ukrainian photographer who risked all to film Bucha massacre
“As a founding member of the compensation commission for Ukraine and with our commitment to a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, we are working together with our partners to enable the legal prosecution of Russian atrocities,” Wadephul emphasized.
DW spoke to Kallas in Bucha, where she addressed concerns that the war in the Middle East could divert attention and weapons away from Ukraine’s efforts. “We can’t let Ukraine slip off the table. I think this is extremely important,” she said.
The bloc’s foreign policy chief also criticized Budapest’s blockage of loan money to Ukraine.
“It is unfortunate that we have this obstacle on the way. We had the agreement by the leaders in December to disperse this loan to Ukraine.”
“They desperately need this funding, and we have to stick to our promises.”
What happened at Bucha?
Russian troops occupied Bucha, some 25 kilometers to the northwest of the Ukrainian capital, during the early days of the war.
After Ukrainian troops managed to recapture it in late March, the bodies of murdered civilians were found lying in the streets, some with their hands tied. A United Nations report confirmed the deaths of dozens of civilians.
The atrocity quickly became symbolic of Russian war crimes committed in Ukraine.
Ukrainian figures record more than 400 dead civilians in Bucha, with more than 1,300 killed in the Russian military retreat from the wider Kyiv region at the time. These included more than 700 who were shot dead.
The massacre came to light two days later. Moscow continues to deny responsibility for the atrocities, claiming without evidence that they were staged.
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher