STRASBOURG, France (Chatnewstv.com) — European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told lawmakers Tuesday that Russia has no interest in peace and will not end its war in Ukraine unless faced with overwhelming pressure.
Speaking at a European Parliament plenary session, Kallas said Russian President Vladimir Putin escalated the conflict with the “largest aerial assault of this war so far” over the weekend.
“Putin has zero interest in peace, and he will not stop the war until he is forced to,” Kallas said. “Ukraine’s security is Europeans’ security. And so long as Russia pursues its illegal war, we must continue to fight.”
Kallas said the EU and its member states have provided nearly €169 billion in support since 2022, including €63 billion in military aid. Member states have also delivered 80% of the bloc’s target of 2 million rounds of ammunition, she added.
The EU has imposed 18 rounds of sanctions on Moscow and those enabling its war, depriving Russia of at least $450 billion in funds, including $154 billion in oil revenues, Kallas said. She confirmed that work is underway on a 19th package of sanctions.
“More pressure on Russia means more sanctions and continued work to address circumvention, including dismantling the shadow fleet,” she said, referring to ships used to evade oil restrictions.
Kallas underlined that the EU has trained almost 80,000 Ukrainian soldiers and is considering expanding its mission to allow training inside Ukraine. She also said Ukraine’s accession talks should advance, stressing that the country “merits progress” despite the ongoing conflict.
“When this war ends, Ukraine will recover and Russia will pay for the damage it has done,” Kallas said. “Russian sovereign assets should remain immobilized until Russia stops its war of aggression.”
Editor: Gabriel Ani
