Security guarantees for Russia would reward its aggression, Estonian PM says
Kaja Kallas (Photo:Emmi Korhonen/Lehtikuva/via REUTERS)
Negotiating some sort of security guarantees for Russia would reward the Kremlin for its aggression and war crimes in Ukraine, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told Estonian public broadcaster ERR on Dec. 5. Kallas was commenting on French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion that the West should provide security guarantees to Moscow – as part of a potential Ukraine peace settlement.
Kallas added that the initiative on the battlefield is currently in the hands of Ukraine, which has already successfully liberated large swathes of its Russia-occupied territory. The Kremlin’s objective is now to negotiate a pause to regroup and build up a force for a renewed offensive.
“Therefore, a ceasefire today would be in the military interests of Russia, and it is dangerous to talk about peace or a ceasefire,” Kallas said.
The PM noted that Russia has been demanding security guarantees from NATO, for many years.
“It is a veil by which wars of conquest and other war crimes can be justified,” she said.
“It is also a theme that is being used to push the politics of spheres of influence, in order to deprive countries of the right to make independent decisions on foreign and defense policy.”
Kallas said she is convinced that Ukraine must win this war, as a premature peace won’t ensure long-term security in Europe.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron said i that a new European security architecture should include “security guarantees” for Russia. According to him, if Russian dictator Vladimir Putin agrees to peace talks with Ukraine, the West should consider ways to meet Moscow's demand for security guarantees – especially in regard to its fear of “NATO comes right up to its doors.”
In response, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksiy Danilov, said that "a de-nuclearized and demilitarized so-called Russia is the best guarantee of peace for Europe and the world."
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