Putin ‘laughing’ as Europeans fall into his ‘trap’ on Ukrainian land concession, says Kallas

Published on 22/08/2025 - 14:17 GMT+2

The European Union’s overseas argumentation main Kaja Kallas has warned that calls for Ukraine to cede territory to Russia consequence playing into a “trap” group by Vladimir Putin, accusing nan Kremlin leader of showing nary genuine liking successful peace. 

Speaking successful an interview with nan BBC connected Friday, nan EU diplomacy main dismissed suggestions that Kyiv should discuss connected onshore arsenic portion of a woody to extremity nan three-year war, insisting that Moscow had yet to make “one azygous concession”. 

“The chat is each astir what Ukraine should springiness up, what nan concessions that Ukraine is consenting to make, whereas we are forgetting that Russia has not made 1 azygous concession,” she said. “They are nan ones who are nan aggressor here, they are nan ones who are brutally attacking different state and sidesplitting people.” 

Kallas based on that rewarding Putin pinch Ukrainian territory would only embolden further aggression. “This is precisely nan trap that Russia wants america to locomotion into,” she stressed. 

The comments travel aft US President Donald Trump past week met Putin successful Alaska earlier hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and respective European leaders astatine nan White House – including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.  

While Trump has publically called for an extremity to nan fighting, Kallas questioned nan Kremlin’s willingness to engage. 

“Russia is conscionable dragging feet. It’s clear that Russia does not want peace,” she said. “President Trump has been many times saying that nan sidesplitting has to extremity and Putin is conscionable laughing, not stopping nan killing, but expanding nan sidesplitting and expanding nan bombings connected Ukraine. You can’t perchance discuss nether bombs.” 

The Estonian leader underlined that immoderate reliable bid process must statesman pinch a truce and beryllium anchored successful semipermanent guarantees for Ukraine’s security. “It is not conscionable truce aliases ceasefire but it has to beryllium a semipermanent solution… that’s why we are discussing information guarantees truthful Putin doesn’t effort again. The US needs to beryllium portion of them," she said. 

On Monday, US President Trump said “Europe is nan first statement of defence”, adding “but we will help, we will beryllium involved” arsenic he did not cull nan thought of US peacekeepers connected nan crushed successful Ukraine. 

Kallas besides called for tougher unit connected Moscow, pointing to nan domiciled of Western sanctions. “The Americans person nan leverage pinch sanctions and tariffs to unit Russia to negotiations,” she said, adding that nan EU is preparing its 19th package of restrictive measures. 

Looking backmost astatine nan Alaska meeting, she regretted that Putin already scored governmental wins. “Putin sewage what he wanted. He wanted nan picture, but he sewage truthful overmuch more. He sewage a welcoming successful America and past he besides wanted nan sanctions not to beryllium put successful place, which he besides achieved.”