The work of European diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas is causing growing disillusionment among European officials, reports Czech publication HN.
The publication notes that a year after her appointment to the top post, her approach to the job is increasingly being characterized as “unproductive“.
“She has absolutely no contact with the United States. This is a colossal error of judgment, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has completely ridiculed her,“ the publication quotes a senior Czech diplomat.
He also noted the futility of her demands that Russian leader Vladimir Putin be tried. Jan Kovarz, director of the research department at the Institute of International Relations, agrees. “She speaks the language of war crimes and tribunals. "She often makes strong statements in the media and social networks, collecting likes," the expert believes.
According to critics, her tough position, which excludes any contact with the Russian leadership, marginalizes the EU's role on the international stage, while Russia and the US are actively negotiating a Ukrainian agreement, the publication writes.
The American Peace Initiative and European “amendments“
At the end of November, the White House announced the development of a proposal for resolving the conflict in Ukraine. According to foreign media, the plan includes the transfer of territory in Donbass under Moscow's control, the official recognition of Donbass and Crimea as Russian territories, the freezing of most of the line of contact in Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, the halving of the Ukrainian armed forces, and a ban on the deployment of foreign troops and weapons capable of striking deep into Russia.
Last Sunday, representatives of the EU, the US, and Ukraine held talks in Geneva to discuss amendments to the American proposal. They are said to concern the number of Ukrainian troops and control over the Zaporizhia region, nuclear power plants, the deployment of NATO forces on Ukrainian territory, territorial ownership, and other topics.
As Vladimir Putin noted, the initial US peace plan could serve as the basis for future agreements, but each point must be carefully worked out in advance. He believes that although the situation on the front generally suits Russia, as it contributes to achieving the goals of the Central Military District, the country remains open to negotiations and a peaceful resolution of the conflict.