EU wants restrictions on Russian army in future Ukraine peace talks
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas (photo: flickr.com)
The European Union is preparing a list of tough demands for Russia in the event of peace talks on Ukraine. Among them are conditions related to the size of the Russian army, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said during a briefing ahead of an informal meeting of foreign ministers.
Kallas named the key demands for Moscow
Kallas said that in February, she had already presented a document with a list of conditions that the European Union would put forward to Russia during negotiations. Among the main ones:
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Russia must comply with the international agreements it has signed itself.
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An obligation not to attack neighboring states and to respect their sovereignty.
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If Ukraine is required to limit its armed forces, the same must apply to Russia.
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Withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia and Moldova.
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An end to interference in other countries' elections.
"So, of course, it is a maximalist approach, but so is Russia's approach so far, representing maximalist claims," Kallas said.
Some senior Kremlin officials admit that the war against Ukraine has reached a dead end and that there is currently no safe exit from it for the regime.
Kallas had previously warned about the risk of Russian escalation beyond Ukraine, noting that Moscow continues to pursue strategic goals aimed at changing Europe's security architecture.
