The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, stated that Russia cannot dictate the terms of European security or influence the decisions of NATO and the EU. Ukraine, she said, must be a full partner in the continent’s future security architecture, and the European Union must play a direct role in negotiations to end the war. Kallas made these remarks on 6 November in Warsaw at a joint press conference with the foreign ministers of Poland and Ukraine.
- Kaja Kallas stated that Putin has no right to veto decisions on European security.
- Ukraine must become a full-fledged part of the European security architecture.
- The European Union is insisting on its own involvement in the negotiations to end the war.
- The Kremlin has stated that the Europeans have not yet appointed their representatives for the talks.
Callas rejected Russia’s right to determine the future of NATO and the EU
During her speech in Warsaw, the head of European diplomacy emphasised that Ukraine must be integrated into Europe’s existing security architecture, which includes the European Union and NATO. She ruled out the possibility of granting Moscow the right to influence the decisions of these organisations as part of any future agreements to end the war.
«Putin has no right to veto European security,» said Kallas.
According to her, the continent’s security issues cannot be resolved solely through negotiations between Washington and Moscow. European states must be involved in shaping future agreements, as their implications will directly affect Europe’s defence and stability.
The Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs also spoke at the press conference Radoslav Sikorsky and the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga. The meeting took place as part of the Council of the Baltic Sea States session, which is being held in the Polish capital.
The European Union is demanding a seat at the peace talks table
Callas’s statement came following renewed contacts between Washington and Moscow. The day before, the US President Donald Trump reported on a meeting with a Russian representative Kirill Dmitriev and suggested the possibility of a wide-ranging agreement to end the war, which could affect the whole of Europe.
The American side is also discussing future security guarantees for Ukraine and the wider European security framework. Representatives from the US, Ukraine, NATO and European partners took part in the consultations in Brussels.
The European Union insists that any agreements on European security must involve the European states themselves. Kallas has previously emphasised that peace talks cannot be reduced solely to discussions about concessions from Ukraine. In her view, the EU must also put forward its own demands to Russia.
Moscow has stated that there is uncertainty regarding Europe’s representation
On the same day, a Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that discussions on the future European security system would ultimately require the participation of European states. At the same time, he accused them of failing to adopt a coordinated position on exactly who would represent Europe in any potential negotiations.
According to Peskov, Moscow has not yet received any specific proposals from the European side. The Kremlin spokesperson claims that European countries have not yet decided on the format of their participation in the forthcoming consultations.
Callas’s position differs from the Russian approach, primarily with regard to the powers of the parties involved. Brussels insists that decisions concerning the functioning of NATO and the EU rest solely with the member states of those organisations, and that Russia must not be allowed to block them.
Furthermore, during her speech in Warsaw, Callas called on Russia to stop subversive activities against European countries. The European Union regards such actions as a specific security threat that must be taken into account when drawing up future agreements.
