European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas said that any peace agreement concluded without the participation of Ukraine and Europe would have no chance of success.
In conversation with journalists before the start of the NATO Defense Minister’s meeting, Kallas was asked if she thought that the conclusion of an agreement on the war had already begun behind the backs of the Europeans. She noted that ”any agreement (made) without us will fail because Europe and Ukraine are needed to also implement the agreement. Without us at the negotiating table you can agree on anything, but it will all fail because of the lack of implementation.”
In addition, Kallas noted that membership in NATO is the strongest and cheapest security guarantee there is. ”The question that needs to be answered by everybody: what are these security guarantees exactly?” the EU official noted.
Furthermore, the high representative noted that nothing should be taken off the table before the negotiations have even started because it plays into Russia’s hands. ”It is appeasement, it has never worked,” she stated. She emphasized that any quick fix would be bad and would not work.
“It will be a dirty deal, which we’ve seen before, for example in Minsk, and it just won’t work. It won’t stop the killing. It’s not going to stop the war,” Kallas was convinced.
She also noted that the current situation can be compared to 1938.
“We are in a situation where the Czech Republic has decided to fight back, and the only thing expected of us is to support them with weapons or anything they need to avoid World War II. And now we must help Ukraine to defend itself against aggression so that there is no wider conflict,” the EU diplomatic chief emphasized.
On 12 February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed deep concern about potential negotiations that could exclude Ukraine from the peace process. The timing proved prescient, as just hours later Trump announced plans to begin immediate US-Russia negotiations aimed at ending the war.
Related:
- Trump claims Ukraine “essentially agreed” to give US access to its rare earth minerals
- Trump advisor: Europe must take lead in security guarantees for Ukraine
- Zelenskyy: I’m ready to negotiate with Putin as long as US and Europe will not abandon Ukraine
- Trump refuses to call Ukraine an equal participant in peace talks
- Putin uncommitted to any compromises in talks to end war – ISW
