Kallas: EU to reduce Russian diplomatic staff in Brussels

The European Union has decided to cut the number of Russian diplomats at the Russian mission in Brussels to 40 staff members, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said at a press conference following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, as quoted by Report's European bureau.

Brussels will not tolerate the abuse of diplomatic status, Kallas said, adding that the decision is part of a broader strategy to exert pressure on Russia amid its ongoing war against Ukraine.

"Diplomacy is always preferable to war, but after a year of negotiations we have not even achieved a ceasefire. The obstacle to peace is not Ukraine, it is Russia," she emphasized.

The EU believes it is necessary to "shift the focus" from pressuring Kyiv on territorial concessions to presenting specific demands to Moscow. According to Kallas, key conditions for a just and sustainable peace include respect for internationally recognized borders, an end to sabotage operations, compensation for war damages, and the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia.

In addition to diplomatic restrictions, the EU is intensifying sanctions and economic pressure. Measures have been expanded against Russia's "shadow fleet," new sanctions have been imposed for serious human rights violations, and contributions to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund have been doubled to €1.85 billion in response to continued attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.

To ensure security within the EU, measures are being developed to prevent hundreds of thousands of former Russian military personnel from entering the Schengen zone. "We do not want war criminals and saboteurs freely moving through our streets," Kallas stressed.