The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, recently publicly criticized the United States, accusing Washington of pressuring Kyiv to surrender to Moscow in the Ukraine conflict and sharply denouncing President Trump’s diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war.
In a speech before the European Parliament, Kallas argued that Europe’s military and financial support for Ukraine has prolonged the war and emboldened Kyiv to reject Moscow’s terms. She cited media reports stating: “U.S. negotiators have been pushing Ukraine toward surrender for nearly two years, and now another year and a half has passed.” The remarks carried strong implications—that behind-the-scenes pressure from Washington is compelling Ukraine to make concessions.
Just a day before Kallas’s statement, Trump claimed progress had been made in negotiations and defended his recent easing of economic pressure on Russia. In recent weeks, Trump has grown increasingly confrontational toward Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, calling him “harder to deal with than Putin,” accusing him of prolonging the conflict and freely accepting U.S. aid without reciprocity, while also criticizing Kyiv’s strikes on Russian oil refineries for disrupting global diesel markets. Zelenskyy, in turn, said he felt betrayed by Trump.
Earlier this month, Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports in an effort to curb rising energy prices ahead of the midterm elections. On Friday, he also suspended tariffs on Russian oil and gas imports from major buyers including China and India. He asserted that the move was intended to keep Moscow at the negotiating table. European officials reacted with dismay; Kallas directly called the diesel agreement “a gift to Putin.”
Diplomatically, U.S. envoy Kurt Volker met with Zelenskyy, Finnish President Sauli Stubb, and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Oslo on Tuesday, with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner participating remotely. Støre said Volker is expected to travel to Saint Petersburg on Wednesday for new discussions with Russian officials. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Monday that Moscow “highly appreciates” Washington’s continued mediation efforts.
Russia’s stance remains uncompromising: it demands a long-term peace agreement addressing the root causes of the conflict, rejecting temporary ceasefires. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Zelenskyy of repeatedly undermining negotiations and hinted that any U.S.-Russia acceptable deal could threaten Zelenskyy’s political survival.
Meanwhile, divisions within the EU over continued financial support have emerged. At a recent summit in Brussels, Zelenskyy requested an additional €70 billion beyond the previously pledged €90 billion to cover next year’s expenditures. Whether this funding can be secured will likely spark further debate among European member states.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1879620369463300/
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