Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, launched a scathing criticism of Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The reason was an interview she gave to France 24, in which she said that the United States cannot negotiate on Europe’s behalf to lift sanctions against Russia.
“Why does no one want to talk to hysterical Kaja? Will the realists manage to prevail over the hysterics in Europe? And who are these realists?”, Dmitriev wrote on the social network X.
The dispute concerns sanctions and frozen assets
In her interview, Kallas stressed that decisions on European sanctions cannot be made by Washington on behalf of the European Union. According to her, Moscow expects any potential negotiations to involve not only changes to the sanctions regime, but also the unblocking of frozen Russian assets.
“The United States cannot negotiate on our behalf,” Kallas said, insisting that Europe must participate in all talks concerning its own restrictions against Russia and the assets blocked on its territory.
The statement comes amid new diplomatic efforts
Kallas expressed her position at a time when possible diplomatic formats for ending the war in Ukraine are being discussed. European officials insist that any agreement affecting the security of the continent, sanctions or Russian assets must be coordinated with the EU.
On November 6, Kallas said that the European Union must be included in any future agreement on Ukraine and that the bloc would not implement arrangements reached without its participation.
Dmitriev, who is the Russian president’s special representative for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, often responds sharply to Kallas’s statements about Russia and the EU’s sanctions policy.
Sources: boursorama.com, mk.ru, cdn.rtvi.com