The head of European diplomacy Kaia Kallas and the new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held their first phone call today after Rubio was confirmed in office. The two agreed on the need to maintain maximum pressure on Moscow, Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA.
Kalas and Rubio discussed the need to cooperate to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine, AFP notes.
The conversation took place against the backdrop of repeated threats by US President Donald Trump in the fields of trade and defense.
Trump recently said that European countries would be subject to tariffs, as this is “the only way the US will be treated fairly“. He also urged European countries to increase their defense spending to 5% of their gross domestic product.
During his conversation with Rubio, Kallas emphasized the need to increase European defense investment, AFP reported, citing a source. The two also stressed the importance of enhanced cooperation between the EU and the United States in situations related to the Middle East and global challenges posed by China.
They agreed that maximum pressure on Moscow is key to achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
The new US administration's position on Ukraine remains unclear. Although Washington is Kiev's main military backer, President Donald Trump has often criticized this assistance. He has also recently threatened Moscow with new sanctions if a ceasefire agreement is not reached with Kiev.
In early January, Kaia Kallas assured that the EU was ready to provide military support to Ukraine if the United States refused to do so. However, she expressed confidence that Washington would continue to support Kiev.