‘If we don’t help Ukraine further, we should start learning Russian,’ the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy warned the EU on Wednesday, June 18th.
Kaia Kallas’ rhetoric echoes two rounds of foreign policy claims made by U.S. pundits and politicians to Europe in the 20th century, namely “if it wasn’t for us, you’d all be speaking German.” The remarks echo recent, almost identical ones from NATO secretary general Mark Rutte.
Yet there’s a serious point: claiming that Vladimir Putin’s Moscow has a long-term plan for aggression against Europe, including the EU.
The tough talk continues:
On Ukraine, the European Union is doing its part here too, not least because Ukraine is Europe’s first line of defence. We know that Russia responds to strength and nothing else.
Interestingly, Kallas concluded by claiming the aim of getting tough is to force Russia to the negotiating table. This represents a climbdown from earlier talk of a Ukrainian military victory—without bringing the Brussels mainstream any closer to leading pro-talks member states Hungary and Slovakia.
