Brussels sets conditions: what concessions must Russia make for peace?
11 February 12:05
The European Union is discussing a list of concessions that Russia must make to ensure long-term peace in Ukraine.
This was stated by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, ABC News reports, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Europe is working on a “sustainable peace plan.”
She recalled that on February 4, Russians used cluster munitions during an attack on a market in Druzhkivka. Seven people were killed as a result of this attack. At the same time, representatives of Ukraine and Russia held another round of talks in Abu Dhabi, mediated by the US.
“We have just witnessed an intensification of bombing by Russia during these negotiations,” said the EU High Representative.
Kallas noted that the European Union is convinced that Russia is not engaged in serious peace negotiations. According to her, Europe doubts that the administration of US President Donald Trump represents the interests of the EU and Ukraine in these negotiations. She stressed that this is why Europe is working on a “sustainable peace plan” that could force Moscow to make concessions.
Europe puts forward its conditions for peace
The EU’s high representative noted that the bloc is “very grateful” to the US for its diplomatic efforts. However, she added that in order to achieve a stable peace, all participants in the negotiations, including the Russians and Americans, must understand that the consent of the Europeans is necessary.
“We also have conditions. And we must put forward conditions not to the Ukrainians, who are already under great pressure, but to the Russians,” she stressed.
Kallas shared that these conditions could include demands for Russia to return thousands of children abducted from Ukraine, as well as to limit the size of the Russian armed forces after the end of the war. She recalled that Moscow had previously put forward a demand to limit the size of the Ukrainian armed forces.
“The problem is not with the Ukrainian army. The problem is with the Russian army. The problem is with Russian military spending. If they spend so much on military needs, they will have to use them again,” Callas explained.
The EU High Representative said that the “sustainable peace plan” is likely to be distributed among EU member states in the coming days for possible discussion at the bloc’s foreign ministers’ meeting on February 23.
In addition, Callas said that the US should not put increasing pressure on Ukraine. She noted that it was Kyiv’s dependence on American support that forced it to make almost all concessions.
“Pressure on the weaker side can always lead to faster results, but this is only a declaration that we have peace. This is not a sustainable peace. It will not be a guarantee for Ukraine or anyone else that Russia will not attack again,” she said.
Ukraine is ready to make difficult concessions to end the war
Earlier, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said that Ukraine is ready to make concessions to end the war. According to her, the problem lies in Russia’s position.
Kallas noted that it will be much more difficult to force Russia to make concessions for the sake of peace. She stressed that over the past 100 years, Russia has attacked at least 19 countries.
The EU High Representative also noted that Russia will have to limit its military budget, army, and nuclear weapons after the war ends.
