By Andrew Gray BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas pushed back on Tuesday against a call by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to normalise relations with
EU’s Kallas Rejects Belgian PM's Proposal to Normalise Moscow Ties, Restore Russian Energy Access
EU Response to Belgian PM's Call for Normalising Russia Relations
By Andrew Gray
Background: Belgian PM's Statements on Russia
BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas pushed back on Tuesday against a call by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to normalise relations with Moscow and regain access to cheap Russian energy.
De Wever's comments, in an interview with Belgian newspaper L'Echo, run counter to official EU policies to maintain a hard line against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine and phase out the use of Russian fossil fuels.
Controversy Within EU Leadership
De Wever also said European leaders agreed with him behind closed doors but "no one dares to say it out loud".
Kaja Kallas' Position and Warnings
Kallas, however, told Reuters in an interview in Brussels that she did not have the same impression and warned against trying to go back to business as usual with Moscow.
Inside EU Leaders' Meetings
"I've been ... behind those closed doors, when we talk about leaders' meetings, and I don't see this appetite," said Kallas, who attends gatherings of the European Council of EU heads of state and government.
Risks of Returning to 'Business as Usual'
"When we talk to Russia, of course, the most important thing is to first agree what we want to talk to them about," added Kallas, a former prime minister of Estonia.
"If we just go back to business as usual, we will have more of this - more wars. We have seen this before, so we have to be very vigilant and not to actually give Russia what they want because their appetite will only grow."
Energy Market Impact and Political Reactions
Global oil prices have surged roughly 40% since the U.S. and Israel began their war on Iran, climbing to their highest since 2022.
Reactions Within Belgian Government
De Wever's comments, which were published at the weekend, sparked criticism within his ruling coalition. He has since sought to play them down, saying he favours normalising relations only after a deal is struck to end the war in Ukraine.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Andrew Gray, writing by Bart Meijer and Andrew Gray, Editing by Dominique Vidalon and Hugh Lawson)
