EU says Russia on the back foot, war dynamics shifting in Ukraine’s favour
The Story
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that “Russia is on the back foot” and “the dynamics of the war are shifting in Ukraine’s favour,” according to a single-source report from The Guardian. She called for continued European pressure on Moscow, adding that an unconditional ceasefire is a prerequisite for peace negotiations.
Key Facts
- Kallas said Russia is “on the back foot, militarily, economically, but also diplomatically.”
- She stated that “the latest strikes on Kyiv have shown, Russia still shows no genuine interest in peace.”
- She said an unconditional ceasefire is “a prerequisite for any kind of peace negotiations.”
- Kallas called for Europe to “use its leverage more effectively” on trade, investment, and market access with countries doing business with Moscow.
- The EU is working on another round of sanctions on Russia, she added.
- Ukraine agreed a major defence deal with Sweden, including plans to buy up to 20 Gripen fighter jets.
- Hungary’s new prime minister Péter Magyar suggested his government is nearing a political deal with the European Commission to unblock billions in EU funds.
- Bulgaria’s new prime minister Rumen Radev held talks with Nato’s Mark Rutte and EU’s Ursula von der Leyen.
- Latvia’s parliament approved a new government led by centre-right opposition lawmaker Andris Kulbergs, after the previous government collapsed over Ukraine drone incidents.
- EU regulators fined the Chinese shopping website Temu €200m for failing to stop the sale of illegal and dangerous products.
- Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez faces corruption cases involving his brother, wife and predecessor.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy chief
- Péter Magyar, Hungary’s new prime minister
- Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president
- Rumen Radev, Bulgaria’s new prime minister
- Andris Kulbergs, new prime minister of Latvia
- Mark Rutte, Nato secretary general
- Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s prime minister
- Constantinos Kombos, Cypriot foreign minister
Sources: The Guardian
