Kallas on EU position: Any peace plan must be backed by Ukraine, Europe; our plan is to enhance pressure on Russia, support Ukraine
High Representative of the European Union Kaja Kallas states that the position of the European Union remains unchanged: any peace plan must be supported by both Ukraine and Europe. The EU plan is to continue to support Ukraine and enhance pressure on Russia.
"What we, as Europeans, have always supported is a long, lasting and just peace, and we welcome any efforts to achieve that," she said, adding that they discussed the latest developments, and Minister Andriy Sybiha briefed them on Ukraine’s position. The European position has not changed: for any peace plan to succeed, it must be supported by Ukraine and Europe, Kallas said at a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, following the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting.
This statement came amid reports of a 28-point "peace plan" allegedly agreed between the United States and Russia, which neither the Ukrainian nor the European sides are aware of.
Kallas said if Russia really wanted peace, it would have accepted the proposal for an unconditional ceasefire back in March. She added that the harsh reality is that 26 Ukrainian civilians were killed yesterday in Russian attacks. Russia has repeatedly pretended to support peace talks, previous talks have failed because Russia has never made any real commitments. The pressure should be on the aggressor, not the victim. Rewarding aggression will only provoke its intensification.
The High Representative also said the EU "has a very clear two-point plan." "First, to weaken Russia. Second, to support Ukraine," Kallas said.
She added that today the head of the European Intelligence Agency and the EU’s sanctions envoy spoke about the impact of sanctions. The data is very clear: Russian oil exports are at their lowest in months. Russia’s tax revenues from oil are at their lowest since the start of the war. Sanctions are hitting Russia hard and will hit even harder, the High Representative said.
In addition, the foreign ministers also discussed the attacks on Poland’s railway network. She said Russia’s hybrid actions in Europe are becoming increasingly audacious; Russia is committing state terrorism. There are many ways to respond, including additional sanctions and combating online recruitment of saboteurs, she added.
According to Kallas, the ministers also raised the issue of financial support for Ukraine, in particular a reparations loan based on immobilized Russian assets for Ukraine, but this issue was not discussed. However, the High Representative believes this is the clearest way to support Ukraine’s defense. It is also a way to show Russia that time is not on their side. Supporting Ukraine is a bargain compared to the price of a Russian victory, the High Representative said.
