EU Foreign Policy Chief, Kaja Kallas, has asserted that Vladimir Putin is now in a weaker position than at any point since the start of the war in Ukraine, arguing that mounting military, economic and diplomatic pressures are increasingly isolating the Russian leader.

Speaking amid continued fighting and intensifying international sanctions on Russia, Kallas said that the developments on and off the battlefield suggest the Kremlin is facing growing strain despite its efforts to project strength.

She made the remarks as she briefed the press about the outcomes of today’s talks among the bloc’s Foreign Ministers in Brussels. She disclosed that the Ministers discussed Putin’s latest suggestions that the Russian war against Ukraine could be coming to an end.

Kallas stated that the Russian President’s words are notable because they are “different than what he said before.” “I think the overall understanding is that Putin is in a weaker position that he has ever been before,” she added.

She stated that Russia is not winning on the battlefield, while there is growing discontent in the country, with expanding internet restrictions and some frustration among Russian influencers and commentators. However, she was quick to add that “we are not at the point where actually they would genuinely negotiate” on Ukraine, because Moscow is “still presenting maximalist claims.” “That’s why we need to continue with our work,” she stressed.

Earlier today, the European Union dismissed Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that the Kremlin-friendly former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder could serve as a European mediator in peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine

Over the weekend, the Russian leader put forward Schröder, a longtime ally, as a possible figure to help restart talks with Europe, saying he would “personally” favour the former German leader for the role.

Kallas too was not particularly keen on Schröder as a mediator on Ukraine.

“If we give the right to Russia to appoint a negotiator on our behalf, that would not be very wise. And second, I think Gerhard Schröder has been the high-level lobbyist for Russian state-owned companies, so it’s clear why Putin wants him to be the person so that actually he would be sitting on both sides of the table.”
Kaja Kallas

Schröder, 82, previously held senior positions in Russian energy projects, including work on the Nord Stream gas pipelines and a seat on the board of Russian oil company Rosneft. He stepped down from the role several months after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine under mounting pressure, but has never explicitly condemned Putin over the invasion.

Kallas was earlier dismissive of Putin’s “very cynical” calls for a ceasefire “to protect his parade, whereas they were actually still attacking civilians in Ukraine.”

Ukraine in ‘Much Better Position Than Year Ago‘

Moreover, Kallas stated that “Ukraine is in a much better position than a year ago” as “the dynamics of the war are changing” with the EU’s €90bn loan, Moscow’s “record” battlefield losses and Ukraine’s deep strikes into Russia.

However, the former Estonian Prime Minister emphasized that is “no time for complacency,” saying the EU keeps working on further plans to “step up against hybrid threats”, future sanctions and its potential future security guarantees for Ukraine.

“EU has always supported attempts to achieve a just and lasting peace. For Europe to take more active role, we must agree amongst ourselves what we want to talk to Russia about and what are our red lines.”
Kaja Kallas

She added that “there can be no just and lasting peace without accountability for Russia.”

Additionally, Kallas mentioned Ukraine’s ambition to join the EU, saying that the country has made “remarkable reform progress under the most difficult circumstances.” She said that the EU should open all negotiation clusters with Ukraine before summer to progress the official accession talks.

“There is now new momentum and we must use it to advance Ukraine’s path into the EU. This means opening all negotiation clusters before summer. Getting Ukraine into the EU is not charity. It’s an investment into our own security. And our message to Putin is clear: Ukraine’s European future is more important to us than destruction of Ukraine is to Russia.”
Kaja Kallas

Kallas gets asked what she means by the

She admitted that the Ministers had a debate this morning discussing the meaning of summer as eginning of summer is seen in Ukraine, 1 June or some other date. She remarked, “I said, [summer], that’s [in] two weeks, but actually, apparently, European summer is August, so let’s see.”