Russia’s narrative about the war in Ukraine is “heavily represented” in statements coming from the United States and President Donald Trump, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief has said.
Speaking on Monday, Kaja Kallas said in the short term Ukraine would need more military aid from Europe.
The Ukraine war and wider defence policy has moved quickly to the top of the EU’s agenda, due to fears the White House is pushing Ukraine to agree to a quick ceasefire deal, which European leaders fear could be overly favourable to Russia.
Ms Kallas, a former prime minister for Estonia, said no deal could be made by the US and Russia over the heads of Ukraine or Europe. “You can discuss whatever you want with Putin, but if it comes to Europe or Ukraine, then Ukraine and Europe also have to agree to this deal,” she said.
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Russian talking points were being repeated by the current US administration, she said. “If [you] look at the messages that come from the United States, then it is clear that the Russian narrative is there, very strongly represented,” she said.
Ms Kallas said when she first heard about Trump labelling Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy a “dictator”, she thought the US president had mixed him up with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
“I was sure he was making a mistake and mixing [up] the two people. Because Putin hasn’t had elections, or Russia hasn’t had elections in 25 years. Zelenskiy is an elected leader, elected in free and fair elections,” she said.
A further series of sanctions on Russia, aimed at hindering its ability to continue to wage war, were agreed on the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Monday, at a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
The 16th round of EU sanctions targeting Russia included economic restrictions to limit the supply of video game controllers into the state, as their components could be used to pilot battlefield drones.
The latest package included further measures on Russia’s “shadow fleet” of old ships used to transport natural gas to other countries, in an attempt to evade existing sanctions preventing others doing business with Russia.
Speaking before the meeting, Swedish foreign minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said Kyiv needed more help from the EU, to be able to say no to a bad peace deal. “In order for this to happen then we need to increase the military support now, not in six months or a year,” she said.
Kęstutis Budrys, her Lithuanian counterpart, said a ceasefire deal at present would be a “critical mistake” for Ukraine. “It would provide the chance for Putin to regroup, rearm, reinforce and attack again, or any other potential target in Europe,” he said.
The meeting of foreign ministers debated a proposal from Ms Kallas for EU states to provide several billion euro of further military aid to Ukraine.
In a press conference afterwards, Ms Kallas said solid progress had been made in the room, hopefully teeing up a decision being taken when the EU’s 27 national leaders meet for an emergency summit next week.
The transatlantic partnership between the US and Europe had changed under the Trump administration, but should not be abandoned, she said. “We shouldn’t throw something out of the window that has worked well so far,” she said.
Ms Kallas said the strongest and cheapest security guarantee for Ukraine against a future Russian attack was membership of the Nato military alliance, something the US has ruled out. “A bad deal for Ukraine is a bad deal for Europe, but it is also a bad deal for America,” she said.
