‘Russia doesn’t want peace’: EU’s top diplomat dismisses chatter about Ukraine peace deal

EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Monday said it’s too early to talk about a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine as Russia is not interested in peace, according to a report

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas speaks with the media as she arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, on Monday. AP

EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Monday said it’s too early to talk about a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine as Russia is not interested in peace.

“First, there has to be peace in order to send peacekeepers. And Russia does not want peace … that is very clear,” Politico report quoted Kallas as telling reporters ahead of the first meeting of EU foreign ministers she will chair since taking over as the bloc’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

Her comments came after increasing pressure from US President-elect Donald Trump’s team to quickly end the war.

However, Kallas said that Moscow is not signaling a willingness to resolve the conflict, citing a recent interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on US media personality Tucker Carlson’s show.

In the interview, Lavrov said the US. and its allies “must understand that we would be ready to use any means not to allow them to succeed in what they call strategic defeat of Russia.”

For Kallas, this demonstrates that Moscow has not abandoned its objectives, making any discussions about ending the war difficult.

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the idea of deploying peacekeepers during a visit to Warsaw, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk swiftly dismissed it, stating, “For the moment, nothing like that is planned.”

Despite Tusk’s rejection, some EU capitals are beginning to consider what role Europeans could play if the Trump administration requests military involvement in security guarantees for Ukraine.

However, the discussion is taking place only “at conceptual level,” Politico quoted a European diplomat as saying.

On Wednesday evening, several European leaders are scheduled to meet in Brussels with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte to discuss peace initiatives and the possibility of deploying peacekeeping forces to Ukraine.

Other EU foreign ministers attending Monday’s summit emphasised that the primary focus is on strengthening Ukraine, not negotiating peace terms.

“It’s too early to speculate about” peacekeepers, Politico quoted Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp as saying.

Zelenskyy has been talking about a diplomatic solution next year “and it’s very important that between now and the moment that he believes negotiations could start … Ukraine is fully supported and that means military support, and that means support in the field of energy, energy infrastructure, it also means financial support,” Veldkamp was quoted as saying.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also emphasised that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has not changed the goal” of the war he initiated more than two years ago.

Ukrainians “are not asking any kind of mission right now. They are asking [for] weapons. They are asking [for] air defense. They are asking [for] support. Let’s give it,” Politico quoted Tsahkna as saying.

However, Tsahkna added that if peace talks do begin, Europe must be prepared to assist.

“Of course we need to discuss what will be the security guarantees if the peace will come and Europe must take part of that,” he added.

At Monday’s meeting, ministers will also approve the 15th package of EU sanctions against Russia, which includes measures targeting the “shadow fleet” used to transport oil and gas in violation of sanctions.

The package will also impose penalties on individuals and companies accused of aiding the Kremlin in acquiring banned technologies, as well as North Korean officials.