It is important for the EU and the US to maintain unity, Kaia Kalas, the European High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told journalists today before the start of the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
It is good to interact with the new administration in Washington as much as possible, she added and announced that she is leaving for the US tomorrow for a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to her, negotiations can be held with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but with the participation of Europe. Putin and Russia do not want peace for the time being, said Kalas.
She called "interesting" the words of US President Donald Trump that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is a "dictator". Zelensky was elected in fair and free elections, the Russian narrative is strongly represented in US statements, commented Kallas.
The High Representative expressed hope that today the EU Council will approve additional sanctions against Russia and discuss what assistance it can provide to Kiev in the short term.
Kallas expressed her expectation that the foreign ministers will approve the lifting of sanctions against Syria in the areas of banking, transport and energy. We are ready to return the sanctions if things do not go as they should, she specified.