EU's Highest Diplomat Warns Putin-Witkoff Negotiations At Risk Of Increasing Pressure On Ukraine

Head of Foreign Policy for the EU Kaja Kallas. (Wikimedia Commons/Polish presidency of the Council of the EU 2025)

JAKARTA - Head of EU Foreign Policy (EU) Kaja Kallas warned on Monday that negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States Envoy Steve Witkoff were at risk of increasing pressure on Ukraine to make concessions.

"I'm afraid, you know, all pressure will be put on the weaker side, because that's an easier way to stop this war when Ukraine surrenders," Kallas told reporters.

Witkoff, a confidant of US President Donald Trump, is scheduled to meet Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, after Washington representatives met with Ukrainian negotiators in Florida.

Europe has largely been ruled out by the United States in Trump's latest attempt to end the Kremlin war in Ukraine, sparking fears of a unequal deal.

Ukraine has been locked in negotiations with Washington to formulate a possible peace plan, after the initial US proposal greatly benefited Russia.

Kallas reiterated that next week could be "important" in diplomatic efforts, but insisted Russia shows no clear signs of wanting peace.

"In this war, there was only one aggressor and one victim," he said after a meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels.

"Our job is to do everything we can to support the victim, not to reward the aggressor," he said.

Kallas again urged the European Union to approve a new major loan for Ukraine funded by Russian assets, as refusal from the European key state hampered the plan.

"Fift-year funding will be decisive for Ukraine's defenses," he said.

"This will definitely strengthen Europe's position towards Moscow. It's very clear. We need to continue with this," Kallas said.