The war in Ukraine will only end when Russia withdraws its troops as it did in Afghanistan in 1989, and if energy prices are higher now because of the conflict, we must accept this as a lesser sacrifice to make. This is, in short, the answer given by the future High Representative for Foreign Policy of the EU, Kaja Kallas, in response to a question on the topic from General Roberto Vannacci.
Vannacci’s request
The two had an exchange of words during the hearings in the European Parliament for the confirmation of the candidates to be part of Ursula von der Leyen’s new college. “Mario Draghi, the guru of this new Commission, said in his report that the reduced growth and loss of productivity of the European Union is due to three fundamental external causes”, including “the loss of the largest energy supplier in the ‘EU, or Russia,’ began the League MEP.
Vannacci then asked Kallas what he intends to do “to recover the largest energy supplier of the European Union, namely Russia”, and more generally to “ease international tensions and therefore put an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine”.
The answer
The war in Ukraine ”will end when Russia realizes it has made a mistake, like in Afghanistan, and withdraws its troops because it realizes it cannot win,” Kallas responded. “If we support Ukraine and really show our determination to support it, then Russia will realize that it made a mistake and cannot win this war,” the former Estonian prime minister added.
As for higher energy costs, Kallas said it’s cheaper “if we make this short-term effort that is painful for everyone,” because otherwise “we would pay more in the end” than if we didn’t.
