Putin desires a photograph op with Trump, says EU overseas coverage chief

Russian President Vladimir Putin shouldn’t be truly eager about negotiating when he meets his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump to debate the conflict in Ukraine, European Union overseas coverage chief Kaja Kallas advised CNBC on Tuesday.

European officers and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have expressed issues at being sidelined from the Putin-Trump assembly in Alaska on Friday. The Ukrainian chief warned that Russia is planning additional offensives and can’t be trusted, whereas European leaders have been scrambling to safe Ukraine a seat on the desk.

“To be able to have any deal applied, you want Europe and also you want Ukraine. So it’s clear that Putin is simply pretending to barter,” Kallas mentioned on CNBC’s “Squawk Field Europe.”

“Putin would not need Zelenskyy round that desk, as a result of that might reveal that he truly would not need to negotiate, and he simply desires to have an image with President Trump and in addition postpone sanctions,” she mentioned.

Responding to Kallas’ feedback, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov advised CNBC that the EU overseas coverage chief “usually makes inappropriate statements. And that is one in every of them.”

“President Putin stays open to dialogue and battle decision by political and diplomatic means,” he added.

European officers and Zelenskyy have been sidelined from the Putin-Trump assembly in Alaska on Friday, which has triggered a lot irritation. Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is planning additional offensives and can’t be trusted, whereas European leaders have been scrambling to try to affect Trump and get Ukraine a seat on the desk.

European leaders, together with Zelenskyy, are set to satisfy for a digital summit afterward Tuesday, which can reportedly give attention to methods to stress Russia, the destiny of Ukrainian territories seized by Russia and attainable safety ensures for Kyiv. Trump has additionally been invited.

U.S. has threatened, however not but applied sanctions on Russia. European officers have lengthy been attempting to stress Washington D.C. to implement measures, which might put stress on Putin.

Forward of the talks between Trump and Putin, issues have additionally grown that the U.S. president could pursue an answer that might be unfavourable for Ukraine.

Trump recommended on Monday that there might “some swapping” of territory as a part of a peace deal although he insisted the U.S. “would attempt to get a few of that territory again for Ukraine.”

The EU’s Kallas on Tuesday mentioned no deal could possibly be applied behind Ukraine’s again. When requested about how the EU might react ought to Trump conform to cede some Ukrainian territory to Russia, she mentioned: “How would that work in apply, like actually, if Ukraine would not conform to this, then how would it not actually work?”

Putin clearly simply desires concessions, she mentioned, including that earlier than any talks about ceding territory, a ceasefire ought to be mentioned.

“Simply to recall that Ukraine agreed to unconditional ceasefire already 5 months in the past, and since then, Putin and Kremlin, Russia has simply been enjoying video games,” Kallas mentioned.

“Russia might cease this conflict at present. Simply cease bombing the civilians and civilian infrastructure, and the conflict can be over,” she added.

The EU diplomat additionally addressed tensions inside the bloc relating to its method to the conflict.

Hungary, which has beforehand created hurdles for the approval of EU sanctions in opposition to Russia, this week selected to not endorse a press release by the bloc that mentioned Ukraine should be free to determine its personal future.

“We positively additionally want to debate our working strategies, as a result of it is a essential time for Europe, it’s a essential time for our safety, and we want to have the ability to undertake choices. Now we have been in a position to undertake choices up to now, however it’s after all, more and more harder,” Kallas mentioned.

— CNBC’s Holly Ellyatt and Silvia Amaro contributed to this report.