EU foreign policy chief says European support has prevented Kyiv from accepting Russia’s terms and insists Europe must help shape any peace deal
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has accused American negotiators of pressuring Ukraine to surrender on terms favourable to Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that European support has prevented Kyiv from capitulating.
Speaking during a debate at the European Parliament on Tuesday, Kallas said US negotiators had been trying to push Ukraine towards surrender for approximately 18 months, while European assistance had enabled Kyiv to resist Moscow’s demands.
“Why Ukraine hasn’t surrendered on Putin’s terms is because Europe has been supporting Ukraine,” Kallas said, stressing that Europe must have a place at the negotiating table.
Her remarks come amid renewed diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine and growing tensions between Washington and European capitals over the direction of peace negotiations.
Kallas argued that any agreement must deliver a lasting and just peace rather than simply end the fighting on terms that favour Moscow. She also insisted that Russia must face greater pressure to secure meaningful concessions.
According to the EU foreign policy chief, Kyiv has agreed to proposals for a ceasefire, an energy truce and arrangements concerning the Black Sea, while Moscow has failed to accept the same terms. She said the lack of Russian agreement made it necessary to increase pressure on the Kremlin.
Kallas also stressed that Europe must participate directly in negotiations because decisions on lifting EU sanctions against Russia ultimately depend on the bloc.
Her position reflects Brussels’ concern that a settlement negotiated primarily between Washington and Moscow could leave Ukraine and its European supporters with limited influence over decisions affecting their security.
The EU has maintained that sanctions relief should not be treated as an automatic consequence of negotiations. Instead, any easing of restrictions would require European agreement.
Kallas’s intervention highlights the growing divide between the US and Europe over how to end the war, what concessions should be expected from Russia and how Ukraine’s long-term security can be guaranteed.
For Brussels, the central issue is not simply reaching an agreement but ensuring that any settlement prevents renewed Russian aggression and gives Ukraine a durable basis for peace.