EU’s Kallas Says Bloc Won’t Implement Deals Without It
(MENAFN) The European Union will not carry out any Russia-Ukraine peace deal it had no part in negotiating, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned Friday.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Kallas said the bloc holds the decisions on EU sanctions and frozen Russian assets.
“Any agreement that we are not party of, we are not going to implement either,” she said.
“From security guarantees, sanctions, reconstruction, Ukraine’s EU accession, there is no way around the European Union,” she added.
Kallas said a renewed diplomatic push is underway to end the war and that ministers discussed how they could contribute.
“There is really a new intensive diplomatic push underway for ending Russia’s war. Europe continues to support all efforts towards just and lasting peace,” she said.
“Despite the diplomatic outreach, the reality on the ground is grim.”
At least 45 civilians were killed in Russian airstrikes in Ukraine this week, Kallas said, cautioning that the country faces another difficult winter as Moscow targets its energy infrastructure.
“Moscow attempts to freeze Ukraine into surrender, but we won’t let it happen,” she said.
She added that the EU disbursed another €4.36 billion ($5.03 billion) under its support loan this week to bolster Ukraine’s resilience.
EU Rejects Concessions to Russia
Kallas stressed that Europe has its own security interests and remains firmly committed to backing Kyiv.
“We are not the mediator. We are firmly on the Ukrainian side,” she said.
She rejected legal recognition of Russia’s claims to occupied Ukrainian territory and called for accountability for war crimes, compensation for destruction and the return of children deported from Ukraine. Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and right to choose its alliances must also be respected, she said.
“In short, concessions should be on the aggressor, not on the victim.”
Asked again about Europe’s role in negotiations, Kallas repeated that decisions on EU sanctions and frozen assets rest with the bloc.
“Any agreement that we are not party of, we are not going to implement either,” she said.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Kallas said the bloc holds the decisions on EU sanctions and frozen Russian assets.
“Any agreement that we are not party of, we are not going to implement either,” she said.
“From security guarantees, sanctions, reconstruction, Ukraine’s EU accession, there is no way around the European Union,” she added.
Kallas said a renewed diplomatic push is underway to end the war and that ministers discussed how they could contribute.
“There is really a new intensive diplomatic push underway for ending Russia’s war. Europe continues to support all efforts towards just and lasting peace,” she said.
“Despite the diplomatic outreach, the reality on the ground is grim.”
At least 45 civilians were killed in Russian airstrikes in Ukraine this week, Kallas said, cautioning that the country faces another difficult winter as Moscow targets its energy infrastructure.
“Moscow attempts to freeze Ukraine into surrender, but we won’t let it happen,” she said.
She added that the EU disbursed another €4.36 billion ($5.03 billion) under its support loan this week to bolster Ukraine’s resilience.
EU Rejects Concessions to Russia
Kallas stressed that Europe has its own security interests and remains firmly committed to backing Kyiv.
“We are not the mediator. We are firmly on the Ukrainian side,” she said.
She rejected legal recognition of Russia’s claims to occupied Ukrainian territory and called for accountability for war crimes, compensation for destruction and the return of children deported from Ukraine. Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and right to choose its alliances must also be respected, she said.
“In short, concessions should be on the aggressor, not on the victim.”
Asked again about Europe’s role in negotiations, Kallas repeated that decisions on EU sanctions and frozen assets rest with the bloc.
“Any agreement that we are not party of, we are not going to implement either,” she said.
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