Kallas Calls Talks on Security With Russia a 'Trap'

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas urged European Union countries not to discuss the architecture of European security with Russia, saying Moscow is leading the EU into a "trap." She said this on arrival at an informal EU summit in Dublin on Friday.

According to her, "any discussion of the European security architecture" would only "divert attention" from Brussels' main demand — "ceasefire first," everything else later. Kallas called the very possibility of talks on European security "a trap that Russia is setting for us," and said the EU must not fall for it.

Earlier in Dublin she confirmed that she remains fully ready to potentially represent the EU in negotiations with Russia, and called herself "a strong negotiator."

Over the past 24 hours, several European officials have spoken out against the very idea of revising the architecture of European security. European Council President António Costa said there is no need to reinvent the wheel; EU Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius said that for security in Europe, Russia must be made "non-aggressive"; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declined to answer questions about European security as she approached journalists in Dublin.

At the same time, according to the Financial Times, citing officials, behind the scenes the picture is different: the EU is ready to discuss with Russia agreements limiting the deployment of certain types of missiles, and is open to consultations on restoring the conflict-prevention mechanisms that existed during the Cold War years.

On November 12 in Brussels, at a meeting with the diplomatic corps, Russia's acting permanent representative to the EU, Karen Malayan, said that the old architecture of European security, "which has always been associated with NATO, the OSCE and the European Union," had exhausted itself. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov had earlier said that at some point it will be necessary to talk with Europe about ensuring the security of Russia and Ukraine and about the future of the security system in Europe. On October 22, Vladimir Putin agreed with the US position that when discussing the future security of Ukraine and Russia, "naturally, the architecture of European security will also have to be discussed."