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High Representative Kaja Kallas has sharply accused the United States of pressuring Ukraine to capitulate on terms exclusively favourable to Russian President Vladimir Putin, just as a new round of peace talks unfolded in Oslo, Norway.
"American negotiators have been trying to push Ukraine into surrender for already almost two years, one and a half years now," she told the European Parliament on Tuesday.
"Why Ukraine hasn't surrendered on Putin's terms is because Europe has been supporting Ukraine."
Kallas also argued that European presence was necessary at the negotiating table to "balance" the positions embraced by the White House, which have become increasingly tilted to Moscow's interests.
Relations between the US and Europe have worsened since US President Donald Trump struck a diesel supply deal with Putin and eased sanctions until April 2027 without obtaining any Russian concessions in return.
Trump has called for new elections in Ukraine, which are barred during wartime, and complained that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was "more difficult to deal with" than Putin. Zelenskyy, in turn, said he feels betrayed by Trump.
"I believe steps have been taken to convince Ukraine to capitulate," Zelenskyy told Bloomberg in a recent interview.
Kallas raised the alarm about the latest developments as she addressed the Parliament in Strasbourg, where several MEPs complained Europe lacked a peace strategy.
"That is not true," Kallas said, referring to a document she had presented to EU capitals with demands that Europe should expect Moscow to fulfil in a future settlement.
"If Russia is presenting their maximalist demands and requests, we should put our maximum demands on the table to balance these negotiations, and also to send a clear message to Russia that for all of those things that they are interested in – lifting sanctions – Europe needs to be around that table because they are European decisions."
"We are not giving these things up for free because it is not only peace that could be there, but it's also that this peace is long-lasting and just," she added.
Kallas accused Russia of endangering the security of the Black Sea with its armed blockade, weaponising food supplies and trying to trigger a global famine. Romania and Bulgaria have recently reported Russian drone strikes off their territorial waters.
The High Representative also censured Moscow for refusing an energy ceasefire and ramping up its bombing campaign against Ukraine ahead of the winter season.
"Ukraine wants peace more than anybody because they have been under bombardment for already four years now, and the fifth year is going on," she said.
"And Europe wants peace. It is not right to say that we don't want peace. The only one who doesn't want peace is Russia. Let's be very clear-eyed about this."
Kallas has been among Europe's loudest critics of Trump's turn to Moscow. Last week, she told Euronews the diesel deal was a gift to Putin.
Brussels insists that despite growing disagreements, engagement with the US should continue to influence the peace process and defend Ukraine's interests.
Senior officials from the European Commission, NATO, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Poland flew to Oslo on Tuesday to take part in the latest round of talks.