Russia 'does not want peace,' Europe must support Ukraine as much as it can: EU foreign policy chief

Russia "does not want peace," so Europe must support Ukraine as much as it can, the EU's foreign policy chief said Wednesday.

"I see that there is … the wish for some really short, and fast solutions, but we are in this situation where Russia does not want peace, and that is a problem," Kaja Kallas told reporters at the doorstep of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brussels.

"So in order to have the best solution, we need to support Ukraine as much as we can," she further said, adding that a stronger Ukraine "on the battlefield" would make it stronger "around the negotiation table, and that is also in the interest of Europe."

Kallas also voiced the objective to "see really advancement in the enlargement process during this five years" of her term in office.

After more than a thousand days of the Russian war on Ukraine which started in February 2022, she said: "We will also discuss Russia's hybrid activities and war in Ukraine, and what we can do more."

For his part, European Council President Antonio Costa stressed that the enlargement was "a priority," and "the most important geopolitical investment in peace, security and prosperity."

He also described the growth plan as "a game changer" that can "transform radically the Western Balkans over these decades."

The plan was adopted by the EU Commission in Nov. 2023, to integrate the Western Balkans into the EU's single market, deepening regional economic cooperation and EU-related reforms, and increasing pre-accession funding.

'EU ONLY RELIABLE, STEADFAST PARTNER FOR WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES'

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said, for his part, that the EU was "the only reliable and steadfast partner for the Western Balkan countries."

Hailing the efforts made by those countries on their path to EU accession, the premier added that the bloc, for its side, "in parallel with the enlargement process," needs to do its "reforms" to ensure it is ready to be "plus 27."

De Croo also commented on the situation in Syria, noting the importance of respecting its "territorial integrity."

"Everything needs to be done to appease the situation, so that, for example, people that want to go back, can go back. We need to avoid that Syria is the place where regional conflict involving multiple countries would be, would take place. So our appeal is: Stop the violence and respect the territorial integrity of Syria," the Belgian premier further said.

Bashar Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.

The country was locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests with unexpected ferocity.

Leaders from the EU and Western Balkan nations will focus on three key areas during the summit in Brussels: reviewing Western Balkan states' progress toward EU membership, discussing the EU's comprehensive support for the region, and strengthening regional cooperation.

The summit brings together the 27 EU member states and six Western Balkan nations, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Kosovo.