Informal meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers (Gymnich): Press remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas upon arrival

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First, we have our guests from India and Saudi Arabia, and of course, we are discussing the situation in the Middle East.

We were expecting signatures on the agreement. So far, we donot have that, but right now, the Strait of Hormuz is in a strange state between war and peace. It is really in everybody's interest that freedom of navigation is respected in the Strait of Hormuz, because everybody is paying a very high price for this.

We are discussing also other aspects of the Middle East situation, and how does it impact us, and how we can cooperate together on these issues.

Then, we will discuss also our core interests regarding Russia. In the peace negotiations, it is not much happening, right now, and we also see on the battlefield that Russia is on a back foot there. That is why it is really the place to discuss with the foreign ministers the core interests, the core requests that we also have for Russia. Because once we go to the table, then it should be also very clear what we are doing there, what is the substance that we want to discuss.

It is in our interest that there is a long and sustainable, long-lasting peace. A long-lasting peace, of course, has elements like accountability that we need to discuss.

Then the last point on our agenda is the European security strategy, so a comprehensive approach to get the take from the member states, how they see this, and how we proceed with this.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/media/video/I-289680

Q&A

Q. How is it relevant for the EU to already discuss having a special envoy or someone to negotiate at the table, when the EU is not sure that it will be invited?

No, it is not the question of being invited to the table. Because if you think about what Russia is interested in, lifting up the sanctions for example, it is a European decision. So, in order to actually decide that, we also need to say that we have a very, very clear interest. Of course, all these topics that concern Ukraine, only Ukraine and Russia can negotiate and agree on. But there are many things that concern Europe. Now, I find that it is a trap that Russia wants us to walk into, that we discuss who talks to them, and they are already picking who is suitable and who is not. Let's not walk into that trap. Negotiations are always a team effort. You have good cops, you have bad cops, you have strategy on how you go to the table. So that is why the substance is much more important than who.

Q. What would be the point of substance? What would be the most important points of [inaudible]?

I put forward a paper already in February, listing all of them that I could come up with. Starting from Russia actually respecting the international agreements that they have taken, the obligation not to attack their neighbors and respect their sovereignty. But of course, there are other things, for example, mirroring the concessions that have been asked from Ukraine regarding military limitation, for example, that this should be also mirrored then to Russia if it is in this agreement. And of course, there are also questions that are of wider concern. If you think about the Russian troops in countries like Georgia, Moldova, that is also in European security interest that these troops are not there, and they are not meddling with elections in different countries. So, of course it is a maximalist approach, but so is Russia's approach so far representing maximalist claims.

Q. France and Italy have called for discussion on sanctions against Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir after the treatment of those activists on the flotilla. How do you view that request? I mean, you've put those sanctions on the table already months ago.

Those sanctions have been on the table already months ago, and we have other proposals also on the table. Today, I do not expect that we are going to go into deep with the discussions on those, because we also have guests. But clearly in the June FAC that is already coming up quite soon, we will discuss that. And of course, there is a lot of pressure also from the Member States who so far have been objecting to sanctioning ministers.

Q. [inaudible] Would you like the job as 'chief negotiator'?

Again, this is a trap that we should not walk into. I am the High Representative of European Union, and you can read my job description in the treaties. And of course, that is also representing Europe. But for that we need to be united, and that is a very, very important message. That we need to work together as, as Europe, not as individual members separately. Because individually we are all much, much weaker than we are all together.

Q. Russia was threatening again Europe and Kyiv saying also that diplomatic personnel should leave from Kyiv? How do you characterize this threat? Should we fear or [inaudible]?

This is what Russia does. Because it is not really gaining ground on the battlefield. So, what they are doing now is really increasing the terrorist attacks, because you cannot really describe it in other ways: creating fear inside the society. It has not worked for four years, but I do not think that it is going to work now. Also, what we heard from Ukraine yesterday was that all the embassies stayed, except one, so that also takes courage from those embassies, but yes, all the European stayed, America left.

Q. The situation between America and Iran seem to be spiraling again. [inaudible] Do you think we are headed back to all-out conflict between the two sides?

What we hear from the regional partners is that they are very close to the deal. But we have heard that for quite some time already, and of course we were expecting the signature to this first agreement. Because let's be clear, first agreement is to stop the war and open the Strait of Hormuz, and then negotiate on the difficult tasks, like the nuclear. And there Europe can also contribute, as we have the experts. But as I say, they are right now in between this very dangerous zone of war and peace, and it is not in anybody's interest that this war continues.

Q. Would you expect the opening of clusters on Ukraine?

The Hungarian representatives are in Brussels today, discussing also the different issues. So hopefully they also give us good news about moving on with opening the clusters.

Q. Will you have any breakthrough today?

The people in Brussels are working, so hope we have some good news, but you never know.

Q. And what do you think of this idea of 'associate membership' that Germany has proposed for Ukraine?

It is clear that the idea behind this is very good. The idea behind this is that we need to move faster with Ukraine. They have to be in the European Union because they are also bringing the security knowledge and strength to European table, but of course these processes take time. So the idea behind this is how can we move faster in different stages, but it is not that we are going to discuss this today.

Thank you very much