EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned Europe against putting itself in a position of weakness, saying Thursday the bloc should not “humiliate” itself by begging Moscow to negotiate.
“What we have seen so far is that Russia does not want to engage in any kind of dialogue,” Kallas said after a Nordic-Baltic ministerial meeting. “We should not humiliate ourselves by being the demanders — you know, we beg you to talk to us.” Instead, she said, the goal must be to push Russia “from pretending to negotiate to actually negotiate.”
Her message comes as the EU ramps up pressure on Moscow on multiple fronts. Leaders this week finally unlocked a €90 billion loan for Ukraine after months of wrangling, while also approving a 20th sanctions package targeting Russian banks and financial networks. The parallel moves were meant to show Europe can still act decisively — and keep Kyiv in the fight.
Moscow, meanwhile, is floating a limited Victory Day ceasefire as it scales back its May 9 parade, dropping tanks and heavy equipment for the first time in nearly 20 years, a sign of strain after months of losses and Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia.
At the same time, Europe is being forced to rethink its own defenses.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to pull American troops out of Germany, raising fresh doubts about Washington’s commitment to European security, after repeatedly saying he is reconsidering America’s membership of NATO.
Kallas warned Thursday that Russia is “gearing up its military for a long-term confrontation with the West” and that “showing weakness only invites aggression.”
Across the EU, governments are accelerating plans to bolster military readiness, including the €150 billion SAFE loans-for-weapons program as part of a broader push that could mobilize up to €800 billion.
“There can be no return to business as usual with Russia,” Kallas said.
