The top diplomat of the European Union, Kaja Kallas, has warned against giving up Ukrainian territories to Russia as part of a future peace deal. Speaking in her first UK interview since EU leaders joined US President Donald Trump’s White House peace talks with Ukraine, Kallas called it a “trap that Putin wants us to walk into”.
The Donbas region in eastern Ukraine has been contested by Russia for years, leading to the displacement of 1.5 million Ukrainians. However, Ukraine has consistently rejected conceding Donbas to Russia in exchange for peace.
Kallas emphasized the importance of credible and robust security guarantees for Ukraine, saying it is crucial to have a strong Ukrainian army as the strongest guarantee. She also noted that EU member states will need to determine their contribution to deterring forces and how they would operate.
The latest talks between Trump and Putin ended without significant concessions from Russia. Kallas said Putin “got everything he wanted” during the summit, which may impact his willingness to negotiate a peace deal. The EU has imposed 19th package of sanctions on Russia in an attempt to pressure the leader into further discussions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism about Putin’s willingness to engage in peace talks, saying current signals from Russia are “indecent” and they try to avoid meeting. He also urged Western allies to provide security guarantees within seven to 10 days.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8zdezm507o