EU's Kallas Warns Ukraine Land Concessions Empower Putin Trap

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has strongly warned against pressuring Ukraine to cede parts of its territory to Russia, describing such concessions as a trap set by Russian President Vladimir Putin to weaken Ukraine and undermine peace efforts. She stressed that Russia, as the aggressor, has made no concessions and that Ukraine's strongest security guarantee lies in maintaining a robust military rather than relying on paper commitments. Kallas highlighted the lack of concrete steps toward establishing a credible deterrent force but noted that a coalition of willing states must determine their support and the operational mandate for any security guarantees. These remarks came after recent high-profile meetings involving President Trump, Putin, Zelensky, and European leaders, with Kallas criticizing the Alaska summit where she believes Putin gained his objectives without facing new sanctions. Zelensky has urged Western allies to finalize security guarantees promptly, while consistently rejecting territorial swaps despite Trump’s suggestions. The EU continues to prepare further sanctions against Russia, emphasizing that territorial concessions would only embolden Moscow and prolong the conflict.