During the annual conference of European Union ambassadors in Brussels, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, emphasized the common basis of military conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. According to her, both crises are caused by the destruction of international law, which has become particularly evident since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Destruction of International Rules and Its Consequences for the World
Kaja Kallas pointed out that Russia’s aggression, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has occurred with impunity, sending a signal to the entire world about the lack of accountability for violations of international norms. She stressed that this has led to a crisis situation where “the rulebook has simply been thrown out the window.”
“The two main global crises today – in the Middle East and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine – are directly related. Because they share a common foundation: the destruction of international law. This has sharply escalated since Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, invaded a neighboring state with impunity… This has sent a signal to the entire world that there is no longer accountability for one’s actions. The rulebook has simply been thrown out the window,” Kallas emphasized.
In the opinion of the head of European diplomacy, without restoring the functioning of international law and holding violators accountable, the world will continue to remain in a state of destabilization and chaos. She noted that a new world order is currently being formed, dominated by power.
Negotiations as a Key Front in the Confrontation with Russia
Kallas emphasized that Russia is not winning on the battlefield in Ukraine, and the greatest threat it poses now is related to the negotiation process. According to her, the Russian army has reached a dead end, the economy is experiencing a serious downturn, and the demographic situation is only worsening. However, she sees the greatest danger in Russia’s potential to achieve more at the negotiating table and in the information war than in open confrontation.
Kallas highlighted the importance of a clear position in negotiations, particularly regarding demands on Russia: limiting the size of its army and compensating for the damages inflicted on Ukraine.
The high-ranking official also noted that there are currently no signs that Russia is seeking peace. The recent strikes on Ukraine, carried out on March 7, only confirm this. On the contrary, Russia’s actions indicate an intention to expand the war, forcing Europe to rearm to enhance its own defense capabilities. According to Kallas, “deterring war is cheaper than waging it.”
In January and February, several rounds of trilateral negotiations took place between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia regarding a possible end to the war. Although no specific results were reported, on February 5, an agreement was reached for a prisoner exchange – the first such exchange in the last five months.
On March 5 and 6, Ukraine and Russia conducted another prisoner exchange operation, resulting in Ukraine returning 500 soldiers from Russian captivity. The arrangements for this operation were made during negotiations in Geneva in February.
However, a meeting scheduled for last week in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, was postponed indefinitely due to the escalation of the situation in the Middle East.