Attempts of sabotage in Europe in recent months are not isolated incidents, but part of a system of coordinated actions to destabilize the EU infrastructure. Russia is involved in these incidents, said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, UNN reports, citing DW and Welt.
Details
The European Union, as noted, for the first time holds Russia directly responsible for the recent increase in acts of sabotage in Europe. "Sabotage in Europe has increased since Russia launched its war against Ukraine. The recent attempts at sabotage in the Baltic Sea are not isolated incidents. Rather, they are part of a pattern of deliberate and coordinated actions aimed at damaging our digital and energy infrastructure," EU Chief Diplomat Kaja Kallas said in an interview with Welt newspaper published on Monday, December 30.
As an example, Kallas cited the damage to the Estlink 2 submarine cable in the Baltic Sea, which Finnish investigators suspect was caused by the Eagle S tanker from the so-called Russian "shadow fleet.
Against this background, Callas announced the introduction of tougher measures against Russian ships. She noted that the ships of the "shadow fleet" of the Russian Federation, which are cruising in violation of regulations, are also responsible for environmental pollution.
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Callas also said that after the transition of power in the United States to the team of President-elect Donald Trump, Washington should act "confidently and firmly" against Russia and support Kyiv in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. "Assistance to Ukraine is not a handout, but an investment in the security of all of us. If the United States stands firm against Russia, it will prevent problems with China. Supporting Ukraine will protect Americans from future conflicts," the top European diplomat said.
Callas also mentioned in the interview the crash of a passenger plane in Aktau. Among the versions of the causes of the tragedy, there are more and more statements that the plane was shot down by the Russian air defense system while trying to land in Grozny. According to Kallas, there is "more and more evidence in favor of this." Ultimately, the responsibility for the incident lies with the Russian authorities in any case, the politician noted. According to her, Moscow "created the conditions for this disaster to happen.
In the interview, the High Representative of the European Union also raised the issue of further use of the proceeds from the frozen assets of the Russian Federation to support Ukraine in the war and restore the country. "Russia must pay for the damage it has caused. Kyiv's demand for compensation is legitimate. We should discuss how some or all of the frozen assets can be used to strengthen Ukraine," Kallas was quoted as saying.
Earlier, Bloomberg reported that EU leaders have resumed discussions about the possible use of not only the proceeds from Russian assets that Ukraine has already begun to receive, but also the Russian funds frozen in Western countries. This was facilitated by the return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States, a politician who, as the publication notes, has criticized the scope and conditions of assistance to Ukraine in the past.
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