EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warns that pressuring Ukraine to make concessions in peace talks with Russia is “not in anybody’s interest,” stressing that the victim of aggression should not be forced into surrender. Speaking after the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Kallas said such pressure would undermine global security and violate the core principle that borders cannot be changed by force.
She also backed the use of frozen Russian sovereign assets to fund reparations, arguing it would strengthen Europe’s position in negotiations. The remarks came as U.S., Ukrainian, and European diplomatic efforts intensify, with parallel meetings in Florida, Paris, Brussels—and an upcoming visit to Moscow. Stay tuned for full context and analysis.
#KajaKallas #Ukraine #EU #RussiaUkraineWar #PeaceTalks #FrozenAssets #EUForeignPolicy #InternationalNews #APT
She also backed the use of frozen Russian sovereign assets to fund reparations, arguing it would strengthen Europe’s position in negotiations. The remarks came as U.S., Ukrainian, and European diplomatic efforts intensify, with parallel meetings in Florida, Paris, Brussels—and an upcoming visit to Moscow. Stay tuned for full context and analysis.
#KajaKallas #Ukraine #EU #RussiaUkraineWar #PeaceTalks #FrozenAssets #EUForeignPolicy #InternationalNews #APT
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NewsTranscript
00:00the stronger they are behind the negotiation table.
00:03Today we also discussed what our two missions could do more to strengthen Ukraine.
00:09They are part of European Union's support to the security guarantees.
00:14We aim to conclude planning for expanding missions as soon as possible.
00:19On defense industrial cooperation with Ukraine, we discussed how to mobilize additional private financing,
00:25also through the European Investment Bank.
00:28Europe and Ukraine must build together, produce together and innovate together.
00:34It is a win-win for both sides.
00:36Ukraine has the battlefield experience and we also need this for our defense industry.
00:43I'm glad that more member states are doing so.
00:46Today, for instance, the Netherlands signed an agreement with Ukraine to set up a production line on its territory.
00:56I also want to address the corruption probes in Ukraine, especially wartime trust matters.
01:04Ukraine's fight for freedom and its path towards Europe should not be tainted by this.
01:09However, the fact that investigations take place show that anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine work.
01:16Also, the public outcry for this has been very, very strong.
01:22Ministers also discussed the European defense.
01:24Everyone agreed that Europe must continue to boost its own defenses.
01:29We do not have much time to act.
01:32Putin is unlikely to honor any agreement for long.
01:35And if we are not strong, it's going to happen sooner.
01:41Leaders have given a clear direction with the defense readiness roadmap.
01:47Capability coalitions are being set up now.
01:50Some have already met on air defense and drones, for example.
01:54Others will follow soon.
01:56Concrete projects are expected in the first half of next year.
02:00Today, we also addressed the flagship initiatives to help coordinate investment in areas where no member state can do it alone.
02:10Here, I would like to commend Finland for taking steps to advance the Eastern Flank Watch initiative.
02:16And finally, ministers also discussed the military mobility package, which we presented with the Commission this, actually, previous month.
02:27Today is December already.
02:29The ability to move troops where we need them, when we need them, is paramount for deterrence.
02:38Military mobility is crucial insurance policy for European security, and we need to speed up.
02:46Thank you very much, High Representative.
02:48We open the floor to questions.
02:50Introduce yourself and the media you work for.
02:53Jorge, please.
02:57Hello, High Representative.
02:59Jorge Liborado with Euronews.
03:00I need to ask you, of course, about the letter that the Belgian Prime Minister has sent to the European Commission.
03:06We all read it.
03:07It has many concerns, many reservations about the reparations loan.
03:11But at the very end, the Prime Minister says, hastily moving forward on the proposed reparations loan scheme would have as a collateral damage that we, as European Union, are effectively preventing reaching an eventual peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.
03:28Do you agree with this assessment?
03:30Do you think the reparations loan is an obstacle in the negotiations?
03:34Or do you think it would strengthen the European leverage vis-à-vis Moscow?
03:39It will definitely strengthen the European position vis-à-vis Moscow.
03:45That's very clear.
03:47We need to move on with this.
03:49This is clear that Russia owes reparations for the damages that they have caused to Ukraine.
03:56And the reparations loan based on the frozen sovereign assets of Russia is actually the right basis for it.
04:08I don't in any way diminish the risks or the worries that Belgian government has.
04:16When we had the discussions in the European Council, I mean, everybody was saying that we are ready to shoulder the risks and the burden.
04:25So, therefore, we need to work on this, on the legislative proposal to address all the risks or mitigate all the risks and to shoulder the burden in regarding those risks.
04:38But we definitely need to move on because, you know, if I would be Russia, I would also try to outlast us to see whether we get the funding for Ukrainian defense or not.
04:54If not, in the short term, then, you know, I would come to the negotiation table and ask even more.
05:04I think, again, let's come back to the first point, which is that Ukraine hasn't attacked anybody.
05:12It's Russia that has attacked.
05:13And we need to make sure that this stops and it doesn't happen again.
05:22David, first one.
05:28David Carretta, Radio Radicale, Italian Radio.
05:31Two questions, if I may.
05:33The first one, on your ammunition initiative.
05:38What is the state of play and are you satisfied with the answer?
05:44We are at the end of the year.
05:45So, basically, of answer of member states.
05:48The second question is, what is your message to the member states that are lagging behind in terms of military or financial aid for military support to Ukraine?
06:02Some member states are taking much of the burden.
06:06Others are not participating, for example, in port initiative or in other initiatives.
06:12So, what's your message to those member states?
06:18On the ammunition initiative, I regret to say that we are not there yet, although today one member state told me that in the coming weeks they will have another decision that will also contribute to the ammunition initiative.
06:33Today we were also listening to the defense minister, Shemihal, regarding the needs that they have and also his call for member states to do more.
06:44Of course, they also need drones and other capabilities, but they still need ammunition.
06:50So, the work is still ongoing in this regard.
06:55When it comes to the overall support to Ukraine, then, of course, like you rightly say, the burden is not equally shared.
07:05And so, those member states who are doing more, we're also calling on those member states who are not doing that much.
07:13Helping Ukraine now is much cheaper than this war will continue.
07:18So, if we all make a collective effort to help Ukraine, to pressure Russia, the sooner this war will end and sooner the costs will stop as well.
07:29Stefan.
07:29Yes, Stefan is at the Europe table on the reparations loan again.
07:36I mean, after reading the letter of Prime Minister Pato, everyone could come to the conclusion that this option is actually quite dead or the chances are slim, at least, to have an agreement on this this year.
07:49So, and basically, he's coming up with new arguments why he is against it, and he didn't wait for the legal text that, as I understand, are ready.
07:58So, he could have waited for this and then written his letter, but he didn't do it.
08:03He sent the letter before.
08:05It looks like he wants to kill, actually, this option, I would say, but maybe you have another view on this.
08:10But wouldn't it be time to discuss other options to be prepared?
08:15I mean, we know that Ukraine needs financement in next spring.
08:21So, wouldn't it be time to discuss, like, this idea of a bridge loan, for example?
08:29We must understand that, of course, Belgium is under a lot of pressure.
08:33So, this is very clear.
08:36There has been options paper provided, but if you look at those options, then the reparations loan is the most viable option because, you know, bilateral contributions are not covering this.
08:50Like, in the previous question, it was also seen that not all member states are carrying the burden.
08:58Euro bonds or raising capital together is also out of a question for some member states to do it all together.
09:09And the reparations that Russia owes to Ukraine, actually, it's really the, you know, Ukrainian money.
09:18If you think about the damages that Russia has caused, this is the best solution.
09:24Again, I want to stress that I don't in any way diminish the worries that Belgium has, but we can address those.
09:34We can shoulder those risks together and we need to work on a viable solution to go on with the reparations loan.
09:42It sends a three-way message, a very strong message to Ukraine that we are there to help them to defend themselves.
09:50A second message to Moscow that they can't outlast us.
09:55And a third message also to Washington that we are taking very strong and very credible steps.
10:02Mattia.
10:07Hi, Rep. Mattia Bagnoli, ANSA, the National Italian News Agency.
10:11I want to ask you a broader question, because I think that we can all agree that last week was extraordinary.
10:19And if what we read is correct and the Americans are indeed negotiating with Russia for access to their market, to the Russian market, to the exclusion of Europe,
10:29we would be facing the sum of all fear, in a way, because a bad deal, possibly a bad deal on one side, and something very worrying on the other.
10:41So, wouldn't it be, at this point, perhaps useful to open direct negotiations with Moscow and send there a kind of European Witkow?
10:52Well, everybody has been very clear, especially the Russians, that they have no interest in peace right now.
11:08So, again, I mean, we need to put them in the position where they need to negotiate.
11:16Right now, they are not in that position, because they think that they can outlast us.
11:22And they also hope that there is a very good offer made, because they see that there is a lot of pressure to put on the victim,
11:29but not really sacrifices asked from them.
11:34At least we don't know that any of the sacrifices have been asked for them.
11:38So, clearly, I mean, they want to negotiate with those who are just offering them something on top of what they already have.
11:50This is clearly their interest, but it shouldn't be ours.
11:53The mic, just over there. Yes, indeed. Thank you.
12:00Thank you very much, Roland Papit, Nipseva.
12:03I have a question regarding SAFE. So, some countries, Mr. Kubilius said that 15 countries want to have some programs with Ukraine, others are without.
12:12Are there some kind of priorities for those who are doing their projects with Ukraine?
12:17That's my first question. And the second one goes to specifically Hungary, which probably is one of the four countries, I assume, which is not doing anything with Ukraine.
12:24That Hungary, for Hungary, the pre-allocated funds of 16 billion is a huge amount, and while the European Commission in other cases froze EU funds around 18 billion for Hungary because of the rule of law and other concerns,
12:39this time there's so much money going there with no strings attached.
12:44So, do you see some kind of concerns maybe that Hungary, if Hungary gets this money or a part of this money of this allocation, it's going to be maybe going to the wrong hands and wrong pockets?
12:55And how do you want to avoid this? Thank you.
12:58Thank you. Thank you. Right now, 19 countries have applied for the SAFE loans.
13:04What happens now is that the Commission will evaluate all the plans and then the Council adopts the financing plan.
13:12So, basically, it is the same way like it was with the next generation EU.
13:17And so, in the next generation EU, you needed to show, you know, the reforms, the things that you do so that you get also the funding.
13:29And that's why the plans are there and the funding goes for the defense plans.
13:35And that is also the answer that there are safeguards for carding, that this money goes for defense plans and defense plans only. Thank you.
13:47Thank you. We'll go on the other side for the mic. Yes, the gentleman over here. And then we'll go back to the front.
13:54Thank you very much. I'm Alex Caddy for TVP World. I'd like to ask about hybrid attacks.
13:59We heard the chair of NATO's military committee saying that they're considering being more aggressive, more proactive in response to Russian hybrid attacks.
14:08I just spoke to the Polish minister who was here today.
14:10You won't be surprised to hear very supportive of a more aggressive, more proactive approach from European powers when it comes to hybrid attacks.
14:18Would you support a more aggressive, would you support a more aggressive European Union approach to these attacks, not just reactive, but perhaps a preemptive strike as it was described? Thank you.
14:27Thank you. So today also the Lithuanian minister raised this issue when it comes to the Belarus hybrid attacks and the meteo balloons that come from Belarus side.
14:41So we are having discussions right now. What more can we do in this regard? Because it is true that they are getting more aggressive in different parts.
14:52And, you know, we have the hybrid sanctions toolbox for Russia, but we haven't had it for Belarus, for example.
15:03But all these actions, you know, what the member states take, we need to coordinate.
15:10But of course, it's up to the member states then to really use those tools in order to counter those hybrid attacks.
15:20But it's clearly becoming a bigger and bigger problem. That's for sure.
15:26Julie on the front.
15:35Thanks, Yulia.
15:36Serevan, Journal TV, Republic of Moldova.
15:39Discussions about the peace plan are ongoing, but the question is whether the issue of Russian troops on Transnistrian territory is being considered and whether this is a threat to Ukraine or not.
15:55Is this the right moment maybe to solve this problem?
16:00And the second question on SAFE.
16:02If you know if Moldovan authorities apply to be part of this program, because before the European Union and our authorities said that Moldova can be a part of SAFE as well.
16:16Thanks.
16:17Thanks.
16:19So, yes, this is one of the examples of the 19 countries that Russia has attacked previously, a war which is somehow still Russian troops present.
16:35So, this is a very, very good question.
16:39If the negotiators want that the war will stop and not continue in any other territories, so how can we make sure that Russia will never invade again and withdraw its troops from different parts of Europe where they still are?
16:57Then that would be one point to negotiate again.
17:02Again, a very point putting the point on Russia.
17:08what are they conceding, what they are contributing to have long lasting peace, not only in Ukraine, but also in other countries.
17:18So, this could be part of it.
17:21When it comes to SAFE, then we have agreement with Moldova regarding security and defense partnership.
17:32So, we are trying to also have Moldova part where they can take part, but the deadline for SAFE was the end of November, and today we are 1st of December.
17:46I am not aware of it, no.
17:51We will take the last two questions.
17:54On the right, yes, the lady next to you indeed.
17:58Milda Velikanskita from Lithuania National Broadcaster.
18:01Madam Callas, we know that Europe wants to be in a good relationship with the United States and wants to be respected by the United States and also wants to help Ukraine.
18:14So, in your opinion, how will Europe look to the United States and to Ukraine if after months of talks about reparation loan, about using frozen Russian assets, we will have no solution or that solution will be that Europe is afraid to use these assets?
18:34Well, Russia will definitely look at it that, you know, they don't want this reparations loan to happen.
18:44So, our response should do exactly the opposite because this is something that we need to move on with and to send a strong signal to Moscow that they can't outlast us and Ukraine can defend itself.
19:03We will go on the right.
19:04Max from AFP had his hands raised for a while.
19:06Thanks a lot, HR VP.
19:07Max Delaney from AFP.
19:09Just coming back to the negotiations that are going on between the US, Russia and Ukraine.
19:24When the first peace plan came out, Europe scrambled and managed to somehow get back involved in the negotiation process.
19:32But now it seems that Europe is once again being excluded and being purposefully excluded by the US.
19:39So, do you get the sense that the US is cutting out Europe from this latest round of negotiations?
19:46Do you have any idea what Mr. Wyckoff is going to negotiate with Putin in Moscow?
19:54And are you fearful that he will once again try to force Ukraine to make more concessions?
20:02I'm afraid that all the pressure will be put on the victim, which is that Ukraine has to make concessions and obligations.
20:12Whereas, you know, in order to have peace, we shouldn't lose focus that it's actually Russia who has started this war.
20:21And Russia that is continuing this war and Russia that is really targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure every single day to cause as much damage as possible.
20:36So, yes, I am afraid that, you know, all the pressure will be put on the weaker side because that is the easier way to stop this war when Ukraine surrenders.
20:49But this is not in anybody's interest, not in the interest of Ukraine, not in the interest of European Union, also not in the interest of the global overall security.
21:01Because it's the United Nations charter that says that you can't change borders by force.
21:10If this pays off, we will see this elsewhere.
21:13All around the world, then we see that whoever has the power gets to take what they want, which is not good for the majority of the countries in the world.
21:24I still see some interest. We'll take the question over there. Thank you.
21:28Thank you, Angela Mauro, Half Post.
21:32Hi, Representative. You're saying, I'm afraid the pressure will be put on the victims regarding the talks, week of talks in Moscow.
21:41Just a quick question. Do you trust the US in this negotiation? Thanks.
21:47It's not the question of trust. It's a question of, again, if we want a long term peace, then we need to understand the starting point of this war.
21:59And the starting point of this war is that Russia just decided to start the full scale war and aggression on its neighboring country.
22:07If we want this war to stop so that it doesn't continue in a few years, if we want this war not to expand, then we should put all the pressure on the one who is doing the aggression, which is Russia.
22:24Thank you very much. This brings our press conference to an end. Have a lovely afternoon. Thank you very much.
22:28Thank you very much.
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