EU’s Kaja Kallas Says Ukraine Peace Deal Must Involve Russian Concession

AUSTRIA – The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Thursday said that any Ukraine peace deal must include Russian concession, adding that Russia have violated international laws numerous times, together with the founding principles of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Speaking at the 32nd OSCE Ministerial Council in Vienna, Austria, Kaja Kallas said the EU remains committed to supporting Ukraine “for as long as it takes,” stressing that only increased pressure on Moscow can create conditions for a just and lasting peace.

“If we read the founding documents of this organization, then this organization was established to keep war away from Europe, and yet, there’s one member of this organization that is not keeping to this: it is the Russian Federation that is blatantly violating international law, but also the OESCE principles,” she said.

Kallas reiterated the EU’s call on Russia to “immediately stop this senseless war of aggression” and withdraw its forces and equipment “completely and unconditionally” from all Ukrainian territory within internationally recognized borders.

Highlighting what she described as a century-long pattern of Russian aggression, she noted that “in the last 100 years, Russia has invaded at least 19 countries, many around this table, some as many as three or four times,” adding that none of these states had ever attacked Russia.

“So in any peace agreement, we have to put the focus on how to get concessions from the Russian side so that they stop aggression and the desire to change borders by force,” she said.

Kallas underscored the importance of curbing Russia’s ability to sustain its military campaign, emphasizing that “wars end when aggressors run out of money to finance them.”

She recalled that the EU recently adopted its 19th package of sanctions against Russia and said work on the next round is ongoing.

While acknowledging the economic burden on member states, she stressed that collective action is essential.