‘Trying to make Ukraine surrender’ - EU's Kallas challenges Trump's Russia strategy
Key Takeaways
- Kaja Kallas warned that pressuring Ukraine instead of Russia could push Kyiv towards surrender.
- Trump announced an immediate energy ceasefire, but Zelensky later accused Russia of violating it.
- The dispute follows a US-Russia diesel deal and Trump's criticism of Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas questioned Washington's approach to the Ukraine war as Trump announced an energy ceasefire and defended a new diesel deal with Russia.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has questioned US President Donald Trump's approach to the Ukraine war, warning that putting pressure on Kyiv rather than Moscow could force Ukraine towards surrender.
Speaking on Monday ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, Kallas responded to Trump's criticism of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, which he linked to rising fuel prices.
"By putting pressure on Russia, it is actually possible to bring this war to an end. By putting pressure on Ukraine, the aim is to make Ukraine somehow surrender," she said.
Her remarks followed Trump's announcement over the weekend that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an immediate "energy ceasefire".
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The US president also called for Ukraine to have a "new president" after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised Washington's latest diesel agreement with Russia.
Zelensky initially said the reported ceasefire was "news to him" before later describing it as "good news".
However, he subsequently accused Russia of violating the arrangement. Moscow has not commented on the allegation.
The dispute comes after Washington and Moscow reached a diesel agreement on Friday.
Trump had repeatedly urged Kyiv to stop targeting Russian refineries, arguing that the attacks were contributing to rising fuel prices.
Kallas maintained that greater pressure on Moscow, rather than Kyiv, was necessary to bring the conflict to an end.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
