EU Diplomat: No Deal On Ukraine Can Work Without Kyiv's Approval

Head of European Union Foreign Policy Head Kaja Kallas. (Twitter/@kajajalallas)

JAKARTA - Head of EU Foreign Policy (EU) Kaja Kallas said on Monday that any negotiations on Ukraine should involve Kyiv and European leaders, warning "no deal without Ukraine and Europe can succeed."

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium, Kallas dismissed the notion that discussions between Russia and other parties could determine Ukraine's future without its involvement.

"You can discuss whatever you want with Putin, but when it comes to Europe or Ukraine, then Ukraine and Europe must also agree to this deal," he said, quoted by Anadolu on February 25.

Furthermore, the major European Union diplomat also stressed concerns over Russia's influence on the United States after Donald Trump's re-elect as president.

"If you look at the messages coming from the United States, it is clear that Russia's narrative is very strongly represented," he said, adding that it was very important for Europe to maintain unity in its relations with Washington.

Regarding military aid, Kallas reaffirmed the European Union's commitment to supporting Ukraine, saying: "If Ukraine remains steadfast, then any plans without Ukraine or Europe will not work."

On the same occasion, he also highlighted discussions about the new Defense Prakarsa to provide military ammunition and capabilities for Ukraine in the short term.

As the Moscow-Kyiv war continues, Kallas warns that "so far, President Putin and Russia don't want peace," which he says makes discussions about European security and Ukraine's defense even more urgent.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a special military operation into Ukrainian territory with the aim of demilitarizing and denazification on February 24, 2022.

The rapid movement of Russian troops was hampered near Kyiv, bringing into a prolonged war, with last August Ukraine capable of carrying out cross-border attacks on Russian territory in Kursk, the country's first cross-border attack since World War II.

Later, President Trump has pushed for an agreement to end the war in Ukraine and held separate calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskiy earlier this month.

Last week, high-level delegates from the United States and Russia met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in talks that did not involve Ukraine or European allies.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a press conference in Ankara with the Turkish Foreign Minister said Russia's meeting with America would be held again this week.