Kallas: Russia can't win against NATO, EU unity key
"Russia stands no chance against NATO and the EU," Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated on Wednesday, June 18, before the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
The European official called for unity among Western allies amid persistent divergences between the U.S. and most NATO countries regarding the war in Ukraine, DW reported.
Kallas noted that in preparation for the NATO summit in The Hague, scheduled for June 24 and 25, maintaining unity within the alliance is just as crucial as increasing defense spending.
"I don't believe there's any threat we can't overcome by acting together, alongside our NATO allies," she stressed.
According to The Times, citing a source from the Ukrainian President's administration, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was also invited to the Hague summit, but the final decision on his participation will be made at the last minute.
In the final declaration of the NATO summit, Russia will continue to be referred to as "a direct threat." However, according to The Times, previous statements that Ukraine has an "irreversible path" toward alliance accession will not be repeated this time. The invitation to Ukraine had previously been confirmed by the alliance's Secretary General, Mark Rutte.
Sources from the Ukrainian delegation told CBC television earlier that day that the Ukrainian President's decision to prematurely end his participation in the G7 summit in Canada was linked to Russian strikes on Kyiv, which resulted in over 20 deaths, and the early departure of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump abruptly cut short his participation in the G7 summit, held in Kananaskis, Canada, and returned to the U.S. after the first day of meetings on the evening of June 16. The White House explained his departure by citing the current situation in the Middle East. A meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been planned for Donald Trump on June 17, among other things.
On the night of June 17, the Russian Federation attacked dozens of buildings and other sites in various areas of Kyiv, including apartment buildings, educational institutions, and critical infrastructure. One missile struck a nine-story apartment building in the Solomensk district, causing the collapse of an entire staircase.
The bodies of 21 people were recovered from under the rubble, bringing the total number of fatalities from Russian attacks on Kyiv to 26. June 18 was declared a day of mourning in Kyiv.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
