Russian ceasefire conditions show Moscow doesn’t want peace – Kallas

Speaking ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, she made the remarks, as reported by journalist Tetyana Vysotska for Espreso TV.

According to Kallas, Ukraine tops the agenda, alongside a large military aid package proposed for Kyiv.

The EU’s top diplomat also welcomed the outcomes of Ukrainian-American talks in Saudi Arabia, Ukrinform reports.

“We see the ball is in Russia’s court now, along with the conditions they’re setting. The big question is whether they actually want peace,” she added.

Kallas stressed that Russia’s ceasefire terms “show they don’t really want peace.”

“They’re presenting demands that align with their ultimate war goals,” she said, as quoted by Interfax-Ukraine.

The EU Council will also discuss developments in the Middle East, including the situation in Gaza.

“We welcome the Arab and Gaza reconstruction plans and are doing what we can to help. At the same time, the surge in violence in Syria is alarming — it shows hope there is hanging by a thread. This means we need to do more to ensure Syria is moving in the right direction,” Kallas said.

• Meanwhile, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister stated that a lasting and just peace in Ukraine requires security guarantees, including five key elements — one of them being the presence of European troops in Ukraine with U.S. support.