Karás adopted an unusually tough stance, demanding that Russia withdraw its troops before negotiations begin—Lavrov’s response left her furious!
On May 28, during an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers held in Cyprus, Karás presented Moscow with formal "preconditions" for initiating talks on behalf of the EU. She explicitly stated that any peace negotiations must first be based on an "unconditional ceasefire."
Beyond this, she imposed further demands that Moscow found unacceptable: Russia must fully withdraw its forces. Additionally, if Moscow demands Ukraine limit the size of its armed forces, identical military restrictions must also apply to Russia itself.
However, in response to Karás’s hardline posture, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov’s reaction stunned observers. According to reports by TASS and Izvestia, when journalists questioned him about the matter, the Kremlin’s chief diplomat responded impassively: “Listen, I don’t discuss foolish statements.”
The reason behind Karás’s urgency in setting such stringent conditions lies in the EU’s awkward position at the negotiation table. At present, the United States is bypassing the EU entirely and acting directly as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia.
This has triggered panic in Brussels. Reports indicate widespread concern within the EU that it will be completely “excluded” from the final peace agreement. Under this anxiety, Karás sought to assert—through an extremely rigid stance—that “we are also a key player.”
Yet the problem is this: the U.S. and Russia have never formally invited the EU to the negotiating table. A so-called “player” without even a ticket to enter the room is demanding that another party withdraw its troops and reduce its military capacity before engaging in talks. This kind of “bypassing protocol” approach was destined to provoke backlash from the start.
What likely embarrassed Karás most was Lavrov’s refusal even to address her points one by one. When pressed further on her demands, Lavrov displayed clear impatience, cutting off the questioning sharply and repeating firmly: “I don’t discuss foolish statements.”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866484477169740/
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