Latest news with #Kallas'
The Journal
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
'Utterly shameful': Irish MEPs slam EU offer to assist Israel in replacing Gaza aid agencies
AN OFFER MADE by the European Union's top diplomat to assist Israel in replacing aid agencies in Gaza has been described as 'utterly shameful' and 'against what we stand for' by two Irish MEPs. On Wednesday evening, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said she had offered Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar EU assistance with his government's proposal to take over the distribution of aid in the besieged Palestinian territory, where Israel has imposed a complete blockade since early March. Since then, no food, water or medical supplies have entered Gaza and Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the siege is 'clearly a war crime' and that Israel's war 'has lost any moral compass'. 'I offered also help by the European Union to distribute the humanitarian aid if they don't trust the other actors there,' Kallas told journalists at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw. Kallas apparently contradicted her own statement issued on Wednesday , which raised concerns about the Israeli proposal, saying it 'runs counter to humanitarian principles, as underlined by UN agencies and humanitarian partners'. The Journal understands that Kallas made the offer without consulting her colleagues and that her remarks do not reflect the EU's official position. Irish MEPs spoke to The Journal and expressed concern about Kallas' offer of EU assistance. 'Rather than offering to assist in their plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza, the EU should be imposing the most severe sanctions on Israel, and leading calls for a permanent ceasefire,' said Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan. Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews said: 'Israel's current proposal to bypass and undermine established humanitarian actors and take direct control of aid distribution is deeply alarming.' Both MEPs said assisting Israel in taking over aid distribution would go against core humanitarian principles and undermine the work of the United Nations. Kallas made her comments on the same day that UN agencies condemned Israel's plan to take over aid distribution. Displaced Palestinians by makeshift tents outside an UNRWA-run clinic west of Gaza City Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo A spokesperson for the UN's aid coordination office, OCHA, said it 'appears to be a deliberate attempt to weaponise the aid and we have warned against that for a very long time'. Amnesty International told The Journal 'the EU must unequivocally reject' the plan and ensure the bloc 'is not complicit in Israel's genocide, whether directly or indirectly'. There are 15 UN agencies operating in Gaza – including the likes of UNRWA, UNICEF and the World Food Programme – alongside roughly 200 NGOs. Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Advertisement 'Beyond belief' According to Lynn Boylan, Kallas' offer of EU participation in the Israeli plan undermines the United Nations agencies working in Gaza. 'Kaja Kallas' comments around finding an 'alternative' to UNRWA are utterly shameful and a complete betrayal of international law,' Boylan told The Journal . 'Instead of undermining the work of UNRWA, Ms Kallas should focus on who is responsible for blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza at every opportunity,' Boylan said. It is truly beyond belief to make this offer mere days after Israel announced their intention to indefinitely occupy Gaza. Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews told The Journal that the EU has a duty to ensure that aid is delivered 'according to the core humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, independence, and humanity'. Aligning with Israel's proposed model would not only go against what we stand for, it would also set a dangerous global precedent. 'It is of the utmost importance that aid remains separate from politicisation, militarisation and weaponisation.' MEPs Lynn Boylan and Barry Andrews Alamy Alamy He also said that normalising 'the politicisation and instrumentalisation' of humanitarian aid would blur the lines between civilian and military roles. 'Fragmenting the humanitarian response system not only risks the lives of those on the ground, but also severely damages the legitimacy and effectiveness of aid delivery.' Boylan said that Israel has 'forced supplies to rot at the border, attacked aid vessels in international waters and tried to cover up their murder of aid workers'. 'Offering to assist Israel in taking over 'the distribution of aid' in the Gaza Strip is handing them total power to weaponise starvation and deprivation.' Ireland and a number of other EU member states have consistently voiced support for UN agencies working in Gaza, particularly UNRWA, while the Israeli government has levelled attacks at the UN throughout the conflict. The Israeli parliament voted to ban UNRWA from operating in Israel in January of this year after accusing the organisation of being staffed by members of Hamas. Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu told the General Assembly last year that the UN was an 'antisemitic swamp' while Israeli officials have also taken aim at the UN's International Court of Justice, where the country stands accused of committing genocide against the people of Gaza. Netanyahu himself is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, including the use of starvation as a weapon of war. Earlier this week, a group of more than 20 UN experts said countries were at a moral crossroads over their response to Israel's escalation of hostilities and ongoing siege of Gaza. States face a choice between acting to halt the violence and looking on at 'the annihilation of the Palestinian population' in the territory, the experts said. 'The decision is stark: remain passive and witness the slaughter of innocents or take part in crafting a just resolution,' they said in a statement, urging the world to avert the 'moral abyss we are descending into'. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Details emerge of EU defence summit in Poland
Defence ministers will discuss an initiative by Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to boost military assistance to Ukraine at an informal EU summit in Warsaw on 2-3 April. Source: European Pravda, citing an official from the European External Action Service (EEAS) Details: The source stated that Kallas' proposal to boost military aid to Ukraine is primarily focused on addressing the Ukrainian Armed Forces' critical need for ammunition: two million rounds of large-calibre ammunition worth €5 billion by the end of 2025. "The agenda for the meeting consists of two sessions. The first is about the EU's military support for Ukraine. The second one is about the White Paper on European Defence [by European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius]," the EEAS official said, adding that "enhanced EU military support and possible security guarantees for Ukraine" will be discussed during the first session. "This includes the high representative's initiative to strengthen military support for Ukraine, opportunities for deepening cooperation between the EU and the Ukrainian defence industry, and cooperation with NATO and other partners. Time will allow us to discuss these topics in depth," the source added. "We've invited Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov to the first session, as well as the NATO secretary general, who, due to his attendance at the ministerial summit in Brussels, will be replaced by Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska," the EEAS official said. According to the official, the second session, which will focus on the White Paper and the ReArm Europe plan, is intended to be a "quick exchange of views between ministers on proposals for their funding" so that a concrete action plan can be drawn up for the European Council summit on 26-27 June. "It's essential to help Ukraine achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, and this can only be achieved from a position of strength. That's why the EU high representative put forward the initiative to provide enhanced military support to Ukraine, particularly in terms of ammunition," the source added. "Ukraine needs 2 million rounds of large-calibre ammunition worth approximately €5 billion from us in 2025. This request was made directly by Zelenskyy during the last European Council summit," the source said. The official emphasised that ministers do not make decisions during informal summits. However, they intend to lay the groundwork for a decision to be made at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on security issues, scheduled for 14 April. "We want to get more information about what member states are planning to send to Ukraine in terms of ammunition supplies. And to see what we can do more collectively as the EU. Member states have already provided us with quite a lot of information, but we would like to have a complete picture," the source concluded. Background: Kallas believes that if EU countries find it difficult to approve a €40 billion annual aid package for Kyiv, they should take small steps and initially agree on €5 billion for ammunition for Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Russia Today
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU officials unhappy with Kallas
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has been criticized by nearly a dozen EU officials over her hawkish stance on Russia and leadership style, Politico has reported, citing unnamed sources. According to the outlet, Kallas' challenges began on her first day in office in December, following her tweet stating, 'The European Union wants Ukraine to win this war' against Russia. Several EU officials reportedly felt uneasy that the former Estonian prime minister, within a day of assuming her new role, 'felt at liberty to go beyond' established language norms. 'If you listen to her, it seems we are at war with Russia, which is not the EU line,' Politico cited one EU official as complaining on Wednesday. Kallas has been a vocal critic of Russia and an advocate for increased military support to Ukraine. Her initiative to increase EU military aid to Kiev to up to €40 billion ($43.1 million) this year faced opposition from member states like Italy and Spain, who do not perceive Moscow as an immediate threat to the EU. Kallas, however, still has her defenders among the EU's northern and eastern states, noted Politico. READ MORE: EU's Kallas 'angered' by Spanish PM – Euractiv Russia has openly criticized the top diplomat, labeling her statements 'rabidly Russophobic,' and 'undiplomatic,' and accusing her of pushing for militarization amid ongoing US-brokered peace talks on Ukraine. She's also reportedly been criticized for continuing to act like a prime minister by failing to consult diplomats from member countries before making sensitive proposals. Kallas' relationship with the United States has been questioned by some officials. After the sudden cancellation of her February meeting in Washington with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, attributed to 'scheduling issues,' Politico sources suggested that Kallas had not adequately prepared by providing a clear agenda to US counterparts. READ MORE: EU's Kallas has alienated major member states – FAZ After a contentious February Oval Office exchange involving US President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky, Kallas tweeted, 'The free world needs a new leader.' The apparent jab at Trump reportedly unsettled nations eager to maintain strong ties with the US administration.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
EU is criticising chief diplomat Kallas' billion-euro proposal for Ukraine due to lack of specifics
The proposal by the EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas to allocate billions of euros in military aid to Ukraine has stalled because of the absence of concrete implementation plans. Source: European Pravda Details: Kallas' plan to allocate billions of euros for military support to Ukraine was first presented at the extraordinary EU summit on 6 March, and later, she mentioned the figure of €40 billion. However, European Pravda reports that even at that time, EU officials expressed confusion over the abstract nature of the plan, which changed in cost multiple times. The publication notes that even despite Hungary's opposition – since its stance was clear from the outset – Kallas still failed to secure unanimous support for her initiative across Europe. This lack of consensus was reflected in the search for wording regarding Kallas' plan while drafting the conclusions of the 20 March EU summit, which were revised at least twice. The final version of the conclusions mentioned Ukraine's specific need for artillery ammunition, but it also stressed that supporting the EU top diplomat's plan was not mandatory. European Pravda sources revealed that Italy, France and Slovakia were the most insistent on changing the wording of the military aid section. These countries shared opposition to one of the key elements of Kallas' original proposal, which envisioned mandatory contributions from every EU state to Ukraine's military support fund, with the amount calculated based on each state's Gross National Income (GNI). One senior EU diplomat remarked that, regardless of whether individual states agreed to participate in Kallas' project, her proposal remained "very raw" and did not provide enough clarity for governments to contribute billions of euros from their national budgets. The official explained that while some officials pressed on making decisions right away, citing the fact that it was nearly halfway through the year and Ukraine needed help, there were reservations about how to justify such a move in public. He questioned where the money would go, underlining the reality that there was no clear proposal. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU may allocate up to €9bn for weapons to Ukraine using proceeds from frozen Russian assets
The European Union may allocate up to €9 billion for military aid to Ukraine in 2025 as part of assistance funded through proceeds derived from frozen Russian assets. Source: European Pravda Details: The conclusions of the 20 March EU summit mentioned "the military needs component of the G7 ERA initiative" among the possible ways to finance Ukraine's military needs. This refers to a loan mechanism under which the European Union will provide Ukraine with €18.1 billion in 2025 through the taxation of profits from frozen Russian assets. "One of the diplomats representing a major EU national told European Pravda that under the terms of the G7 ERA loans secured by the income generated by frozen Russian assets, Ukraine could allocate up to €9 billion for military needs, half of the amount announced for 2025," European Pravda noted. Meanwhile, the article notes that it is not yet clear what the Ukrainian government's plans are for this €18.1 billion. Previously: The discussion of the ERA mechanism comes as the European Union criticises the plan of its chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, to allocate billions of euros for weapons to Ukraine, citing the lack of specific implementation mechanisms. "However, Kallas' initiative isn't dead either. The next substantive discussion on it at the political level will take place at an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Warsaw on 2-3 April," the article reads. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
