We have today the informal EUCO, and first we discuss AI.
The dark side of AI. We can all already see this in the battlefield in Ukraine, where you have drones equipped by artificial intelligence to train to find anybody to kill. This is of course not in accordance with the international law that says that you cannot kill civilians. So, of course, we will discuss AI.
Then we will also have the discussions about Russia–Ukraine. What we saw was Jared Kushner finally admitting what I said already one and a half years ago that for any deal between Russia and Ukraine, for this implementation, we also need Europeans. So that is why the Europeans have to be at the table. But I hope that we are not just at the table, but we are actually also really influencing the outcome of these negotiations, and there the most important is that we keep to our agreement. First, the ceasefire, then peace agreement, and then any kind of other talks, what comes after.
And what is also important is that when Russia is still presenting their maximum demands, then we should also stick to the maximum demands and start to negotiate from there. We have prepared this with the European Foreign Ministers. So, this is a starting point.
And, of course, then we can take it further.
But the most important is that first there has to be ceasefire. Any kind of other discussion about the European security architecture will just take the attention away from the fact that we first need ceasefire to see that Russians have any kind of will to have peace.
Q&A
Q. You just mentioned, first there has to be a ceasefire. What are the red lines concerning the new security architecture Russia is asking?
But again first we need the ceasefire. If we start to talk about what Russia is asking regarding the security architecture, we actually walk into the traps that Russia is setting us, which is that we divert the attention away from that there is no ceasefire and actually start to listen to their claims. Let us focus on what it is at hand; we have one aggressor and one victim. And the aggressor does not have security concerns, and nobody has ever attacked them. They have attacked others. I mean, keep the focus, people.
Q. Is Europe then playing into Putin’s hand by having this conversation of coalescing about one voice an actual fact that is distracting from like you said the importance of having a ceasefire?
Well, definitely, we need to focus on the substance and keep on the message. That is the most important. Any divisions between us is really playing to the other side. So, that is also very clear. At the same time, we also understand that we have quite complicated structures in Europe. But what I have said yesterday, in June 2024 , there was a decision by the leaders, also [on] who is representing when it comes to the Security and Foreign policy. And it was the discussion that in these five years there is going to be a negotiation with Russians. So, if the leaders want to change that agreement, of course, they may, because it is the leader’s decision. But I think we should focus our energy actually on the substance.
Q. What do you say to those Member States that do not want you to be the one negotiating?
Well, all Member States actually agreed that I am the one who is representing Europe in the Foreign and Security Policy. So, that was in 2024 when it was clear that this is going to be the case. I know that the Russians do not want me, but do we have a say who is representing Russia? No, we do not. And really, we have to have a strong team, and I am ready to do this work with the Foreign Ministers. We meet every month. We have these formats already in place, and frankly, I think that leaders have so much on their plate, we should really use the Foreign Ministers and this format more. The way you negotiate, first you put together the maximum demands. Then you come together on: Where is our fallback position? Where can we compromise? And of course, I am bound to what the Member States say. I am not representing myself. I am representing 27 like I have done already two years.
Q. Do you think Europe is in a better position today than it was a few days ago, after these conversations?
We are in a good position if we keep to the agreement that we push for the ceasefire. If we walk into the trap that we start to discuss regarding the European security architecture, then I do not think we are in a better place. We are actually in worse place.
Q. Russia has just said that they want to go back to its 2021 demands. Are you afraid of that?
Exactly, Russia is presenting their maximum demands, and that is why I put together with the European Foreign Ministers also European maximum demands. Because if they start from maximum, we should start from maximum as well, so that it would be a real negotiation. If one starts from maximum and the other does not ask anything, you can guess where this negotiation is ending.
Q. Would you also represent the UK and Norway in talks with Russia?
Well, of course, they are not members of the European Union, so we have the talks here today about the European Union and how we approach this. Of course, all our like-minded partners are important partners and important players. Also, when it comes to the UK, for example, regarding the security guarantees given to Ukraine. So, clearly, they are [an] important part of this ceasefire monitoring and everything that comes after the ceasefire.
Q. What is the obstacle for you to start this? You stated that you already have the mandate for doing this, so logistically, it is not to question, to insult any work you have already been doing. But we talk about peace process. When does Europe start doing, like Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and start taking that level of an issue?
Well, we have institutions in place, so we cannot send any person that has no institutional role, like the Americans are sending. So, clearly, we should not copy the same patterns. And that is why we are also discussing. What I have done so far is to prepare the negotiations. The leaders can decide whoever is representing, but I think what is important is the substance, where this is really coming from, what is the mandate and to work from there. So I can do the preparation work [but] I think [what] is important is the substance to see clearly what is at stake.
Q. Why do you think the Russians do not want you as a negotiator? Do you think it is because you are from Eastern Europe?
They do not want anybody strong on the other side because they want to push through their maximum demands, like they have always done, because, like the Foreign Minister Gromyko said, that their tactics is very clear. First you present threats and ultimatums, you use force, and then you will just wait because there will always be people in the West who will offer you something you did not have before. And every time you go further. So, of course, if you negotiate with anybody, you want the other side to be as weak as possible so that you can get what you want. That is very clear. But it is not up to them to say. Otherwise, if we give them the right about this, we are actually really giving them the leverage that they should not have.