As tensions over Ukraine’s future security guarantees continue, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to rule out Ukraine’s NATO membership.
She also drew a controversial comparison between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Osama bin Laden, arguing that negotiating with Russia now would be like offering concessions to terrorists after 9/11.
Kallas Rejects Concessions to Russia
As reported by Digi24, Kallas made the remarks during a visit to Washington, where she stressed that Russia should not be rewarded while it continues to occupy Ukrainian territory.
"My question is, why should we give Russia what it wants after everything it has already done—attacking Ukraine, annexing territory, and now expecting even more?" she said in an interview with AFP.
She then made a striking analogy: "Imagine that after 9/11, you sat down with Osama bin Laden and asked, ‘OK, what else do you want?’ That is unthinkable."
Trump’s NATO Stance Sparks European Concern
Trump has repeatedly stated that Ukraine should not join NATO, echoing Russia’s long-standing opposition to Kyiv’s membership bid.
Moscow has claimed that NATO expansion was a key reason for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022—a justification that Trump has also referenced.
Kallas dismissed this argument as "completely false" and emphasized that countries like her native Estonia joined NATO out of fear of Russian aggression, not provocation.
"This is Russian propaganda that we should not listen to," she stated. "The only security guarantee that truly works is NATO’s protection."
EU Calls for Stronger Western Unity
Kallas warned that without European involvement, the U.S. could not secure a sustainable peace deal for Ukraine.
She also urged Western allies to remain united against Russian aggression, especially in the wake of direct U.S.-Russia peace talks held in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.
"Russia will try to divide us," she cautioned. "Let’s not fall into their traps. Working together with the U.S., we can achieve a just and lasting peace—on Ukraine’s terms."
As Washington’s foreign policy shifts, European NATO members are preparing to increase military aid to Ukraine, underscoring their commitment to countering Russian influence in the region.
