Ilayda Cakirtekin
13 November 2026•Update: 13 November 2026
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned on Friday that focusing on Russia's demands regarding security architecture would risk shifting the attention away from the ceasefire and walking into a "trap" Moscow was setting.
"If we start to talk about what Russia is asking regarding the security architecture, we actually walk into the traps that Russia is setting us," Kallas warned ahead of an informal meeting of the EU leaders.
She said any kind of discussion about the European security architecture would divert the attention away from the fact that they first need a ceasefire.
"We are in a good position if we keep to the agreement that we push for the ceasefire. If we walk into the trap that we start to discuss the European security architecture, then I don't think we are in a better place," Kallas said.
She further stressed the need for European presence throughout the peace talks.
"I hope that we are just not at the table, but we are actually also really influencing the outcome of these negotiations."
Kallas further commented on a question regarding why she thought Russia did not want her as a negotiator.
"They don't want anybody strong on the other side because they want to push through their maximum demands, like they have always done," she said.
"But it's not up to them to say. Otherwise, if we give them the right about this, we are actually really giving them the leverage that they shouldn't have," Kallas added.
