European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas has backtracked just a week after making a controversial statement about limiting Russia’s army. Kallas emphasized that sovereign countries, including Russia, decide their own military size, while warning that a large Russian army remains a threat to neighboring nations. Her reversal comes amid rising tensions in Europe over Russian military activities and ongoing support for Ukraine. #russia #putin #EU #ukraine #apt
00:00Good morning. So today we meet with the defense ministers of the European Union and we have two broad topics. One is how to further support Ukraine and the other one is on our own defense readiness and defense capabilities that we need to build up.
00:18It is clear that Russia does not want peace and therefore we need to make Ukraine as stronger as possible in order to to them to be ready to stand up for themselves in this very, very difficult time.
00:36It could be a pivotal week for diplomacy. We heard yesterday that the talks in America were difficult, but productive. We don't know the results yet, but I will talk to the defense minister of Ukraine and as well as for a minister of Ukraine today. Thank you.
00:54Do you trust the Americans that they can find a good solution for Ukraine?
00:57Well, Ukrainians are there alone. If they would be together with the Europeans, they would definitely be much stronger. But I trust that Ukrainians stand up for themselves.
01:12What exactly can the Europeans do to reinforce the Ukrainian position at the negotiation table?
01:17Well, the two things that we do. One is to put the pressure on Russia really on further sanctions, reparations loan that they are very much afraid of. And the other is is also to give them military, financial and humanitarian support that they can, you know, last and outlast Russia.
01:40Why do you believe that the reparations loan is still an option? Because Belgium still seems to resist.
01:47Well, Belgium has legitimate concerns about the risks, but all the other member states have said that they are willing to share those risks. So we are discussing those things. As it was said, we are not going to leave the council in in December without the result for the financing of Ukraine.
02:10Have you reflected about constraints for Russian army, what you said last week? How small should the Russian army to feel Estonia and Europe safe in order to possibly be?
02:23Well, in general, we don't think it's right to go into, you know, sovereign countries' decisions. How big is their army? But my point was that if there is going to be a pressure on Ukraine's army that hasn't invaded anybody, then there should also be pressure on Russian army.
02:43And really, the Russian army is the one that is actually a risk to everybody. And I'm not talking about European countries, but all the neighboring countries of Russia.
02:53If you look at those 19 countries that they have invaded in the last 100 years, I mean, they're all at risk. If Russia's army is big, if their military budget is as big as it is right now, they will want to use it again. Thank you.
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