The European Union’s foreign policy leader firmly rejected suggestions Tuesday to rebuild diplomatic ties with Russia and resume purchasing inexpensive Russian energy supplies.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s chief diplomat, dismissed remarks made by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in a weekend interview with L’Echo newspaper, where he advocated for restoring normal relations with Moscow.
De Wever’s position contradicts established EU policy, which maintains strict sanctions against Russia following its military invasion of Ukraine and seeks to eliminate dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
The Belgian leader claimed that European officials privately support his view but “no one dares to say it out loud.”
Speaking with Reuters in Brussels, Kallas disputed this characterization, stating she has witnessed no such sentiment during high-level discussions.
“I’ve been … behind those closed doors, when we talk about leaders’ meetings, and I don’t see this appetite,” Kallas explained, referencing her participation in European Council gatherings with EU heads of state and government.
The former Estonian prime minister emphasized the importance of establishing clear objectives before engaging with Russia.
“When we talk to Russia, of course, the most important thing is to first agree what we want to talk to them about,” Kallas noted.
She cautioned against premature diplomatic outreach, warning: “If we just go back to business as usual, we will have more of this – more wars. We have seen this before, so we have to be very vigilant and not to actually give Russia what they want because their appetite will only grow.”
Oil prices worldwide have jumped approximately 40% since conflicts involving the United States and Israel with Iran began, reaching levels not seen since 2022.
Following criticism from coalition partners over his weekend statements, De Wever has attempted to clarify his position, indicating he would only support normalized relations after a peace agreement ends the Ukrainian conflict.
