Kallas: Of course, I would have answered Putin's call
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said she would answer a call from Vladimir Putin or Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov if the opportunity arose. She made these remarks in an interview with Yle.
Kallas said she would be willing to speak with Russia if the opportunity arose, but stressed that she did not support initiating dialogue on Russia's terms, Yle reported on Tuesday.
Kallas said she has already met with Lavrov at international forums, including ASEAN and G20 meetings, and has clearly articulated the EU's position to him.
According to Kallas, Moscow is a skilled negotiator. She believes that Russia makes the most demanding demands, issues threats, and waits for concessions from the West. Ultimately, she said, the Kremlin is trying to secure what it did not have before.
The head of European diplomacy expressed skepticism regarding the efforts of U.S. President's special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who have travelled to Moscow and Kyiv over the past year and a half in search of a path to peace in Ukraine. Kallas believes that people who better understand how Russia operates should be involved in this process.
According to Kallas, if the goal is to end the war quickly, the easiest way is to force the victim to give up what it is defending – that is, its land and its people. However, she said, this would not lead to a just and sustainable peace.
Kallas also said the European Union cannot currently act as a full-fledged mediator between Ukraine and Russia because it supports Kyiv.