EU fails to reach agreement on sanctions against Russia

European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas held a press conference following the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Stating that a new anniversary of the war in Ukraine will be commemorated tomorrow, Kallas said, "Moscow has failed to achieve any of its strategic goals. Its army is bogged down. Its economy is rapidly declining, and the Ukrainians are resisting and maintaining their resilience."

"We could not reach an agreement on the 20th Sanctions Package"

Referring to the latest sanctions package against Russia, Kallas said, "Unfortunately, we could not reach an agreement on the 20th Sanctions Package. This is a step backward and a message we did not want to send. However, work is ongoing."

Emphasizing that not even a ceasefire has been achieved after a year of negotiations on Ukraine, Kallas said, "The obstacle to peace is not Ukraine, but Russia. We need to reverse the pressure on Ukraine to give up its territory with an approach that focuses on what Russia must do to meet the conditions for a just and lasting peace. Europe has clear and legitimate interests in how the war will end. We need to be clear about our expectations from Russia so that Europe's interests are not indirectly harmed."

"We are working to prevent former Russian soldiers from entering the Schengen area"

Stating that they have decided to limit the maximum size of the Russian mission in the European Union to 40 people, Kallas said, "Together with the Commission, we are also working to prevent the entry of potentially hundreds of thousands of former Russian soldiers into the Schengen area. We do not want war criminals and saboteurs walking our streets."

"Real progress in Gaza depends on the disarmament of Hamas and the subsequent withdrawal of Israeli forces"

Stating that Gaza was also discussed at the meeting and that they met with the EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov, Kallas said, "Real progress in Gaza depends on the disarmament of Hamas and the subsequent withdrawal of Israeli forces."

Kallas said, "Foreign ministers also addressed the serious situation in the West Bank. Israel's overreach there and its violation of international law are striking at the core of a future Palestinian state."

"The US and Iran are dangerously close to war"

Regarding Iran, Kallas said, "The US and Iran are dangerously close to war. The window for diplomacy is very narrow. Of course, we have many concerns about Iran's nuclear program, its ballistic missiles, and its support for terrorists that also pose a threat to Europe. However, any military intervention could have consequences that are difficult to control. The EU has implemented comprehensive sanctions against Iran, and declaring the Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization has sent a clear message that there is no impunity."

Regarding Syria, Kallas said, "The sudden shift in the balance of power in Northern Syria has disrupted security in the camps where DAESH fighters are held. This has created a risk of terrorists moving toward Europe. Today, ministers discussed how the EU can contribute to more rehabilitation and reintegration programs."

Criticism of Hungary for backing out of the agreement

When asked at the press conference about Hungary blocking the 20th Sanctions Package and how this situation would be overcome, Kallas said, "We are in contact with our Hungarian and Slovak counterparts at different levels to move forward on this package. Of course, it is not easy, but work is ongoing." Kallas added, "I am very sad that we could not reach an agreement today. Because tomorrow is the sad anniversary of the war."

When asked about Hungary also blocking the 90 billion euro loan that EU leaders agreed to provide to Ukraine in December and how they evaluate this stance, Kallas said, "It is truly sad that after all countries and all leaders made a decision at the EU Leaders' Summit, there is now a step backward. Tomorrow, (European Council President) Antonio Costa and (European Commission President) Ursula von der Leyen will be in Kyiv, and we will definitely bring this issue up with (Hungarian Prime Minister) Viktor Orban. Because this situation is not really in line with the principle of sincere cooperation contained in the treaties."

Frozen Russian assets on the agenda if Hungary continues to veto

When asked if there is a "Plan B" in case Hungary refuses to lift its veto on the 90 billion euro package for Ukraine, Kallas replied, "We had a 'Plan A' on our agenda, and it was about the use of Russia's frozen assets. Now, if this is not going to be a 'Plan B', perhaps we need to work on that."

Kallas said, "We are making efforts to ensure that member states respect the agreement reached at the leaders' level. But if that doesn't work, we can always go back to using frozen assets. We can do that faster then."

"When it comes to America, the President is the one who makes the final decision"

When asked what they are doing to deter the US from an operation against Iran, Kallas replied, "Talks are ongoing. We emphasize that a diplomatic approach is essential. We are also in contact with actors in the region. However, when it comes to America, the President is the one who makes the final decision."

"One country is blocking sanctions on Israeli settlers"

When asked about the perception that the EU appears reluctant, insufficient, or incapable of taking action against Israel, Kallas said, "The problem here is similar to what we experienced regarding Ukraine. 26 countries support sanctions against violent settlers. This issue has been on the table for some time. However, one country opposes it. This is the fundamental problem we face in our decision-making processes. We are forced to implement not what the majority wants, but what a single country that exercises its veto wants."

Stated concern that the war regarding Iran "will not remain on a limited scale"

When asked what she meant by her statement that the war regarding Iran could have uncontrollable consequences, Kallas said, "The main risk here is the possibility of retaliation. That is why I specifically emphasized our concerns regarding Iran's ballistic missile program earlier."

Kallas said, "The concern is that a conflict or war might not remain on a limited scale. The messages we receive from actors in the region are also in this direction."