US Diplomats Flee Kyiv After Russia Attack Threat? EU Mocks Trump For Ukraine 'Defeat' After Iran?

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]Also, what we heard from Ukraine yesterday was that all the embassies stayed except except one. So, that also takes courage from those embassies, but but yes, all the European states America left.

[00:00:16]>> Kaja Kallas sparks controversy after claiming the United States fled from Kyiv.

[00:00:21]Kallas says European nations showed courage by keeping embassies operational despite Russia's evacuation warning. The EU diplomat boasts that European embassies stayed in Kyiv while America left during heightened security fears.

[00:00:35]Trump allies push back strongly as tensions grow over [music] who truly stood firm alongside Ukraine during the crisis. Ukraine later walks back the claim, calling reports of a full US diplomatic exit from Kyiv strange.

[00:00:48]Washington insists the US Embassy in Kyiv never shut down and continues normal diplomatic operations. Vladimir Putin had warned foreigners to stay away from Ukrainian government and military linked locations. The warning followed a deadly strike on a Russian college that reportedly [music] killed at least 21 people. Russia later launched deadly Orshnik missile strikes targeting Kyiv.

[00:01:10]The controversy threatens to deepen growing EU-US divisions [music] over strategy and long-term goals in the Ukraine war.

[00:01:17]>> First, we have our guests from India and Saudi Arabia, and of course we are discussing um the situation in the Middle East. Uh we were expecting you know signatures on the agreement.

[00:01:29]So far, we don't have that, but for right now, I mean, Strait of Hormuz is in a strange state between war and peace. And it is really in everybody's interest that that the freedom of navigation is respected in the Strait of Hormuz because everybody's paying a very high price for this.

[00:01:48]Of course, we are discussing also other aspects of of the Middle East situation and how does it impact us and how we can cooperate together on these issues. Then we will discuss also our core interests regarding Russia.

[00:02:07]In the peace negotiations, not much happening right now and we also see on the battlefield that Russia is on a back foot there. So, that's why it's really the place to discuss with the foreign ministers, you know, the core interest, the core requests that we also have for Russia because once we get we go to the table, then it should be also very clear what we are doing there. What is the substance that we want to discuss. And in our interest is that there is a long and a sustainable, long-lasting peace and a long-lasting peace, of course, has elements like accountability that we need to discuss.

[00:02:49]And then the last point on our agenda is the European security strategy. So, comprehensive approach really to get the take from the member states how they see this and how how we proceed with this.

[00:03:04]>> How is it relevant for the EU to already discuss having a special envoy or someone who would negotiate at the table when the EU is not sure whether it will be invited?

[00:03:17]>> No, it's not the question of being invited to the table because if you think about what Russia is interested in, lifting up the sanctions, for example, it's a European decision. So, in order to actually, you know, decide that, we also need to say that we have a very very clear interest. Of course, all these topics that concern Ukraine, only Ukraine and Russia can negotiate and and agree on. But there are many things that concern Europe. Now, I find that it's a trap that Russia wants us to walk into that we discuss who talks to them and they are already picking who is suitable or who is not. Let's not walk into that trap. Negotiations is always a team effort. You have good cops, you have bad cops, you have a a strategy how you go to the table. So, that's why the substance is much more important uh than who.

[00:04:09]>> I refer to the points of the substance.

[00:04:11]What would be the most important >> Uh well, I put the forward a paper already in February listing, you know, all of them that I could come up with starting from Russia respecting actually the international agreements where they have taken obligation not to attack their neighbors and respect their sovereignty. But, of course, there are other things. For example, mirroring uh the the concessions that have been, you know, asked from Ukraine regarding military limitation, for example, that they should be also mirrored then uh to Russia if it is in this agreement. And and of course, there are also, you know, questions that are of wider concern. If you think about the Russian troops in countries like Georgia and Moldova, um that's also in European security interest that these troops are not there and they are not meddling um with, you know, elections in different countries. So, of course, it's a maximalist approach, but so is Russia's approach so far presenting the maximalist claims.

[00:05:16]>> Russia would like to chop us chief negotiator. I request >> France and Italy have called for a discussion on sanctions against Israeli minister of interior after the uh treatment of the treatment of those activists on the flotilla. Um how do you view that request? I mean, you put those sanctions on the table already months >> Yes, exactly. No, those sanctions have been on the table already months ago and we have other, um you know, proposals also on the table. Um today, I don't expect that we are going to go into deep uh with the with the discussions on those because we also have guests Uh but clearly in the June you go that is in the June FAC that is already coming up quite soon. We will discuss that and of course there is a lot of pressure also from the member states who so far have been objecting to sanctioning ministers.

[00:06:07]>> Would you like to jump as chief negotiator?

[00:06:10]>> Again, you know this is this is a trap that we should not walk into. I mean I'm the high representative of the European Union and you can you know read my entire job description in the treaties and of course that is also representing Europe but for that we need to be united and that's I think a very very important message that we need to work together as as Europe not you know individual members separately because individually we are all much much weaker than we are all together.

[00:06:44]>> I would like to ask you about the situation in Ukraine and Kiev saying also that diplomatic personnel should leave Kiev.

[00:06:53]How do you characterize this threat? Is it like a new fear or is it >> Well, this is what Russia does because he's not really gaining ground on the battlefield. So what they are doing now is really increasing the terrorist attacks because you can't really describe it in other ways creating fear inside the society. It hasn't worked for four years but I don't think that it's going to work now. Also what we heard from Ukraine yesterday was that all the embassies stayed except except one. So that also takes courage from those embassies but but yes all the European states America left.

[00:07:38]>> High Representative, the situation between America and Iran seems to be spiraling again at this moment with the attacks. Do you think we're headed back to all out conflict between the two states?

[00:07:51]>> Well, what we hear from the regional partners is that they are very close to the deal. Really, but we have heard that for quite some time already and of course we were expecting the signature to this first agreement because let's be clear, first agreement is to stop the war and open the straight of Hormuz and then negotiate on the on the difficult tasks like the nuclear and there actually Europe can also contribute as we have the experts. But as I say, you know, they are right now in between, you know, this very dangerous zone of war and peace and and it is not in anybody's interest that this this war continues.

[00:08:34]Okay, we'll see you at the press conference. Thank you.

[00:08:39]Well, the Hungarian representatives are in Brussels today discussing also the different issues. So hopefully they also give us good good news about moving on with opening the clusters.

[00:09:00]Well, the people in Brussels are working so so hope we have some good news but you know, you never know. Thank you.

[00:09:09]>> you think of this idea of associate membership that Germany has >> Well, um it is clear that the idea behind this is is very good. The idea behind this is that we need to move faster with Ukraine. They have to be in the European Union because of, you know, they are also bringing the security knowledge and and strengths to European table. But of course these processes take time. So the idea behind this is how can we move faster in different different stages. But it is is not that we are going to discuss this today. Thank you very much.