The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has warned against walking into a Russian “trap” by focusing on personalities rather than issues in potential talks to end the war in Ukraine. Her comments came as the bloc’s foreign ministers gathered in Cyprus for informal talks to discuss their main demands of Russia in any peace negotiations.
Personalities vs. Substance
In recent days, several EU leaders have speculated on who could lead potential talks with Russia, with names including Kallas and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb being floated. However, speaking before the talks, Kallas cautioned: “It’s a trap that Russia wants us to walk into, that we discuss who talks to them, and they are already picking who is suitable, who is not. Let’s not walk into that trap. Negotiations are always a team effort. You have good cops, you have bad cops, you have a strategy on how you go to the table, so that is why the substance is much more important.”
Kallas insisted the EU must be represented in any future talks, as key issues like sanctions relief require European decisions. “If you think about what Russia is interested in, lifting the sanctions, for example, it’s a European decision,” she said.
Criticism of Russian Tactics
The former Estonian prime minister also strongly criticised Russia’s repeated warnings about potential further strikes on Kyiv. “This is what Russia does. Because it’s not really gaining ground on the battlefield, what they are doing now is really increasing the terrorist attacks, because you can’t really describe it in other ways, creating fear inside the society. It hasn’t worked for four years, and I don’t think that it’s going to work now.”
More ministers are expected to speak throughout the day, followed by a press conference summarizing the talks in the early afternoon.
Other Developments
Separately, Hungary’s new prime minister, Péter Magyar, is in Brussels today. He began his visit with bilateral talks with Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart de Wever and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, rather than the much-anticipated discussions on accessing frozen EU funds. That meeting is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, suggesting negotiations on resolving Orbán-era reforms are still ongoing.
Bulgaria’s Rumen Radev is also in Brussels, discussing EU funds and how to salvage unspent funds before their expiry in August.
Additionally, an unusual May heatwave continues across large parts of western Europe, with reports being monitored closely.
