BRUSSELS (Chatnewstv.com) — European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Monday that a planned discussion with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner yielded little substance after technical problems disrupted the call, even as EU leaders continue difficult negotiations over a proposed reparations loan to support Ukraine.
“I have actually nothing much to report from the discussions with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner,” Kallas told reporters after the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
“I do not know if it was a cyber-attack, but definitely technology did not work correctly. So, we did not really have good discussions.”
Kallas said negotiations over the reparations loan, which would be backed by frozen Russian assets, remain complex but could ease concerns among some member states, particularly Belgium, where large portions of the assets are held. “If we go further with the reparations loan, then actually the pressure would be off Belgium, and we will share the burden and risk with all the member states,” she said. “Then it is a European proposal, and it is Europe that is responsible, not Belgium.”
She added that while she remains optimistic by nature, the talks are challenging. “I really do hope that we will achieve results Thursday, but I am also seeing how difficult it is, so I do not want to give any estimates,” Kallas said, referring to the upcoming European Council meeting.
Earlier in the day, Kallas briefed ministers on a wide range of foreign policy issues, including Armenia, the Middle East, Syria, Lebanon, China, Africa’s Great Lakes region and Ukraine. She said EU ministers discussed ways to strengthen Armenia’s resilience against hybrid threats and disinformation, warning that Russia is “repeating the same playbook that they used in Moldova.”
On Gaza, Kallas said Hamas’ refusal to disarm remains a “major obstacle to progress,” while EU civilian missions could expand support for border crossings and Palestinian police, pending Israeli approval. She stressed that reconstruction funding must come with oversight. “It is clear that we need to have a say on how the money is being spent,” she said.
Turning to Syria, Kallas said the country continues to face “enormous challenges” a year after the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime, citing sectarian violence, weak institutions and a lack of rule of law. “Lifting sanctions alone does not bring economic prosperity,” she said. “Investors need to trust the legal system.”
On Ukraine, Kallas said the EU’s priorities remain increasing pressure on Moscow and boosting support for Kyiv. She noted that the bloc has provided €27 billion in military assistance this year and delivered two million rounds of artillery ammunition, but warned that “it is no time to slow down.”
“Supporting Ukraine costs money, but letting Ukraine fall would cost us much more,” she said.
Kallas also announced new sanctions targeting Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, adding 40 vessels and several enablers to the EU blacklist. “Those who threaten our security will face consequences,” she said, adding that sanctions on shadow fleet vessels will now be imposed on a rolling monthly basis.
Addressing the prospect of peace talks, Kallas said any settlement must include strong security guarantees for Ukraine and rejected territorial concessions by Kyiv. “Donbas is not Putin’s end game,” she said. “If he gets it, he will want more. Concessions should be made by the aggressor, not by the victim.”
She emphasized that decisions on NATO aspirations or territorial compromises ultimately rest with Ukraine. “In the end, it is up to Ukrainians to decide what they are willing to give up to have peace,” Kallas said.
