The Kremlin said on Friday that the outlook for EU-Russia ties was bad after the new nominations.
“Mrs von der Leyen is not in favour of normalising relations between the EU and Russia. That’s how we know her, that’s how we remember her. Nothing changes in this respect,” said spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Though sometimes riven by divisions, the EU has mobilised to try to help Ukraine against Russia financially and militarily since President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022. Brussels has also imposed multiple packages of sanctions on Moscow to try to force it to withdraw its forces.
Commenting on the choice of Kallas for EU foreign policy chief, Peskov said she was known for her anti-Russian rhetoric.
“Mrs Kallas has not demonstrated any diplomatic inclinations so far either, and is well known in our country for her absolutely intransigent and sometimes even openly anti-Russian statements,” he said.
“Therefore, we do not think that European diplomacy will contribute in any way to the normalisation of relations. The prospects, in terms of relations between Moscow and Brussels, are bad.”
Ukraine security deal
EU leaders at the summit also signed a security agreement with Ukraine and debated how to bolster the bloc’s defences against Russia as they agreed on their strategic priorities for the next five years.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (centre) with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after the signing of the EU-Ukraine security agreement [Olivier Hoslet/Pool via AP Photo]The security deal underlines EU support for Kyiv fighting off Moscow’s invasion for a third year, despite the far-right’s recent election gains, uncertainty created by French snap elections and the presidential vote in the United States in November.
The agreement lays out the EU’s commitments to help Ukraine in nine areas of security policy, including arms deliveries, military training, defence industry cooperation and demining.
“These commitments will help Ukraine defend itself, resist destabilisation and deter future acts of aggression – more concrete proof of the EU’s unshakeable resolve to support Ukraine for the long haul,” Michel said.
The leaders reiterated their pledge to support Ukraine as long as it takes, stressing that “Russia must not prevail”, and that Ukraine must get back its territory annexed by Moscow.
Russian soldiers are currently pushing forward in the east of Ukraine with intense battles around towns including Chasiv Yar, where the military said it had pushed back Russian forces on Thursday, although a Russian commander claimed his forces had advanced in the area.
Source link : https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2024/6/28/von-der-leyen-gets-nod-for-second-eu-term-estonias-kallas-as-top-diplomat
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Publish date : 2024-06-28 02:54:39
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