BRATISLAVA, May 29. /TASS/. Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanar criticized the approach of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to the possibility of dialogue with Russia in a video of the minister’s remarks posted on Facebook (banned in Russia).
"It's controversial and even, as I would say, astounding when I hear from EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas that the EU cannot be part of any mediation process between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, since we are on Ukraine’s side and support Ukraine. If we acted like that in any conflict, then no one could mediate in anything. And I ask myself, didn't the US take Ukraine's side from the very beginning? And aren't they still on its side? the minister said, commenting on Washington’s role in organizing negotiations between Moscow and Kiev.
Brussels’ approach to the possibility of direct EU dialogue with the Russian Federation, according to Blanar, is incorrect. "This, in my opinion, is not the path by which we can achieve greater EU participation in the peace process [in Ukraine], since the EU has, unfortunately, found itself in a dead end due to its own actions," the minister said.
Earlier, commenting on the possibility of negotiations with Russia, Kallas stated that the European Union will never act as an impartial mediator in the conflict in Ukraine, as it sides with Kiev and defends its own interests. She also stated that the EU is preparing new restrictive measures against Russia to force it to the negotiating table.