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European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas asserted that Europe must secure reciprocal advantages in any upcoming settlement addressing the Russia-Ukraine conflict, emphasising that any viable peace architecture will require substantial commitments from European partners.
Kallas delivered the comments during an official visit to Lithuania on Monday (local time), following diplomatic missions undertaken over the weekend by United States negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv in an effort to jump-start peace initiatives. Speaking at a joint press briefing alongside Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius, Kallas addressed inquiries regarding whether the weekend discussions had advanced peace prospects and the implications of a potential trilateral summit excluding an EU representative. She underscored that direct dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv remains essential. On the European side, it is clear that we cannot be mediators between Russia and Ukraine. They need to talk to each other. We have always been on the side of Ukraine, so we are not neutral in this situation, Kallas stated. The EU foreign policy chief further noted that any prospective accord would entail extensive demands placed upon Europe, stressing that such contributions must be matched with tangible benefits. She said that any eventual peace agreement would also involve a lot of asks for Europe, adding that these were not things Europe should give without getting anything in return. On Monday, Kallas held discussions with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, focusing on the strategic objectives outlined for Lithuania's forthcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, Xinhua news agency reported. President Nauseda outlined that the Lithuanian presidency would prioritise continental security and defence matters, European integration, market competitiveness, domestic safety, and societal resilience. Parallel diplomatic tracks saw Russian President Vladimir Putin receive US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for talks at the Kremlin on Saturday, which extended past three hours. Subsequently, Witkoff and Kushner travelled to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday. Prior diplomatic engagements involved delegations from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia convening for two rounds of discussions in Abu Dhabi on January 23-24 and February 4-5, followed by a subsequent round in Geneva on February 17-18, aimed at exploring pathways to resolve the ongoing conflict. These trilateral negotiations have since stalled and remain suspended. (ANI)
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