Kallas Urges US to Join EU Russia Sanctions: USD1.1T Hit
Speaking to reporters before the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Kallas said sanctions on Moscow would carry far more weight if the US joined the EU and the UK in adding new measures.
“It would work so much better if our partners from the UK and from the US would be aligned with us,” Kallas said. She added that passage of the Graham bill on Russia in the US could substantially tighten the squeeze on the Kremlin.
“We could really put the pressure so that Russia will finish this war,” Kallas said.
Sanctions have already stripped Russia of €1 trillion ($1.1 trillion), she said, and steps against its so-called shadow fleet are making it harder for Moscow to bankroll the war.
Kallas addressed the energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine announced by US President Donald Trump. The EU welcomes the deal, she said, but has yet to see whether Moscow will honor it.
She insisted the truce must go beyond energy infrastructure to include an “end to the killing of people.” She also questioned how balanced the deal is, pointing out that Ukraine has one refinery while Russia has several, and warned it must not work to Moscow’s advantage.
On Trump’s call for fresh elections in Ukraine, Kallas noted that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to hold a vote as soon as possible once a ceasefire is in place.
Middle East
Kallas also condemned a surge in Houthi attacks on airports. EU ministers will weigh further steps to address the situation in the Red Sea, she said.
She revealed that she spoke Sunday with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and the two discussed boosting the EU’s Operation Aspides.
Ministers will also consider launching a new mission in Lebanon with civilian and military components, Kallas said. If approved, she hopes it could be operating on the ground within months.
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