Following the key EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said member states were “quite close” to reaching an agreement on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, while acknowledging that differences remained.
Responding to a journalist’s question about the delay in approving the package and concerns that some member states were prioritising national economic interests over the broader EU objective, Kallas said she regretted that no final deal had been reached.
“I also regret that we don’t have agreement on the 21st package, although I must say that we are quite close,” Kallas said.
She highlighted that progress had still been made through new listings targeting Russia under different sanctions regimes.
“We had 250 listings, which are also very important under different regimes. So still, I mean, all focusing on putting more pressure on Russia,” she said.
Addressing concerns over divisions among EU countries, Kallas acknowledged that the prolonged war had affected all member states but stressed that ending the conflict was in everyone’s interest.
“Member states have various reasons. This war has been going on for years and more, and of course, it has effects on all,” she said.
“But the best fact for our economy, in all the member states, would be if this war would end,” Kallas added.
She called on EU countries to maintain pressure on Moscow and focus on measures aimed at bringing the war to an end.
“That’s why we have to make the necessary efforts in the short term that we wouldn’t have this war,” Kallas said.
She added that discussions at the meeting had centred on the need to continue increasing pressure on Russia.
“Today also we had these intense discussions, and the call was to really focus on ending this war that we are trying to do with putting more pressure on Russia,” she said.
