Rubio, Kallas agree to exert maximum pressure on Russia

Kaja Kallas and Marco Rubio held their first phone call on Tuesday. – Copyright European Union / Associated Press.

BRUSSELS – In a phone call on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas agreed on the need to exert strong pressure on Russia to resolve the Ukraine crisis, according to Bloomberg. “Kallas and Rubio have agreed on the need to exert maximum pressure on Russia to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” Bloomberg reports, citing an unnamed EU official.

Kallas announced the conversation on the social media platform X. “We discussed global issues where the EU and US have the same interests, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, Iran’s malign influence and challenges posed by China,” she wrote.

The US Department of State announced that Rubio had a phone conversation with Kallas, during which he welcomed the EU’s decision to extend sanctions against Russia. Rubio underscored “the need to strengthen transatlantic security, called for Europe to increase defense spending, and highlighted the challenges posed by China.”

Kallas previously noted that the European Union is working on its 16th package of sanctions against Russia, which is expected to cover a wide range of items, from LNG to video game consoles. “Both leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening EU-US cooperation on key global issues,” a source familiar with the conversation said. Kallas also highlighted “Europe’s increasing investments in defense and its readiness to take on greater responsibility,” the source added.

https://www.baltictimes.com/rubio__kallas_agree_to_exert_maximum_pressure_on_russia

Comment: This conversation went far beyond a discussion of Ukraine and an EU-US strategy of “maximum pressure” on Russia. The Euronews article below goes into more detail on “EU-US cooperation on key global issues.” But on the Russo-Ukrainian war, the EU and the Trump administration seem to be in sync. It’s quite a change from the campaign rhetoric beyond the desire to end the war as soon as possible.

However, all this is still rhetoric. What is actually happening on the ground. In spite of Trump’s halting of foreign aid, cargo planes are still flying military aid from the US to Rzeszów in southeastern Poland. Three or more Boeing 747s are landing daily. In addition, Israel is now sending Russian built arms and equipment captured in Lebanon to Ukraine. I guarantee Trump had a hand in that as well as the decision to send Israel’s mothballed Patriot systems to Ukraine, although discussions to do so began last June under Biden. A couple of C-17s just transferred 90 Pac-2 missiles to Rzeszów. They need to be upgraded before heading to Ukraine, but that involves primarily a software upgrade done in Rzeszów. That additional eight Patriot batteries, even if not fully upgraded, will definitely enhance Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. 

But back to the rhetoric, according to the Polish Foreign Minister, Trump ‘helped’ persuade Hungary to unblock EU Russia sanctions. I bet that was an unexpected kick in the huevos to Orbán.

TTG

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/29/in-first-call-kaja-kallas-and-marco-rubio-agree-to-keep-maximum-pressure-on-russia

https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/01/29/axios-israel-sends-90-patriot-missiles-to-ukraine-possibly-through-pilgrimage-deal/

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37 Responses to Rubio, Kallas agree to exert maximum pressure on Russia

  1. Yeah, Right says:

    TTG: “In addition, Israel is now sending Russian built arms and equipment captured in Lebanon to Ukraine.”

    Lebanon?

    Dare I suggest you were close, but not close enough.

    • TTG says:

      Yeah, Right,

      You think the arms and equipment were captured in the latest Syrian adventure? You may be right. I’m sure there was stuff captured there, but reports said the captured arms and equipment came from fighting with Hezbollah.

      • Yeah, Right says:

        TTG: ” but reports said the captured arms and equipment came from fighting with Hezbollah.”

        A couple of points to make about that:
        1) They would say that, wouldn’t they?

        2) Arms and equipment from Syria were just lying there for the taking, whereas the IDF has to fight to grab them off Hezbollah

        3) What kind of arms would you expect the Israelis to get from Hezbollah?

        Not tanks, surely. Artillery? I have a very hard time believing that there was much to be had from Hezbollah other than small arms, mortars, RPGs, and the like.

        And I have an even harder time believing that what the Ukrainians are desperately short of small arms and its associated ammo.

        Far more likely the Ukrainians are in desperate need of tanks, artillery, and anti-aircraft missiles.

        Those can be had from Syria, but not from Hezbollah.

        • TTG says:

          Yeah, Right,

          Israel boasted of capturing over 85,000 pieces of equipment from Hezbollah. A lot of that is what I consider junk, but it did include some 6,840 RPG rockets and anti-tank missiles, including 340 Russian-made Kornets, along with their launchers; 9,000 explosive devices (mines) and grenades; 2,250 unguided rockets and mortars; 2,700 assault rifles; 2,860 other guns, including sniper rifles; and 60 anti-aircraft missiles. Israel kept the mortars for themselves.

          Pretty small stuff in the scheme of things. It certainly won’t win the war for Ukraine. Maybe they’ll get more out of Syria. Or maybe Israel might be sending some of their drones in the future.

  2. leith says:

    Kallas is also twisting Orban’s arm. Hopefully getting him to not blocking the accession talks for Ukraine joining the EU.

    “During a recent media briefing, Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, addressed the challenges posed by Orbán’s comments on Ukraine and its impact on European unity. Kallas pointed out how the EU has always found ways to reach consensus, no matter how difficult the discussions might be among the 27 member states. “Of course, we have, in the European Union, 27 different countries… every decision we make, we discuss, and it’s always difficult. But, we have always managed,” she stated, emphasizing the collaborative spirit of the EU.”

    Consensus of 27 nations? Must be damned tough to get them all in line. Like herding cats?

  3. Fred says:

    “Kallas announced the conversation on the social media platform X. “We discussed global issues”
    The Estonian (land of international experts who last won a war in…..) said they had a ‘conversation’? No S*** . Tell us more? Oh, wait, that’s what “an EU official” is for.
    “an EU official with knowledge of the conversation told Euronews.” Yawn. Another anonymous source. translation: Blah blah “discussed global issues” blah blah let lead you to my desired outcome and have you believe me.

    Don’t you ever get tired of reading this crap?

    • TTG says:

      Fred,

      Don’t get your panties in a wad just because Rubio is talking about EU-US cooperation rather than a policy of avoiding foreign entanglements. This is from the State Department statement.

      “Secretary Rubio underscored the need to strengthen transatlantic security, called for Europe to increase defense spending, and highlighted the challenges posed by China.  The Secretary welcomed the extension of EU sanctions against Russia for its war against Ukraine.  The Secretary and High Representative discussed ways to deepen U.S.-EU cooperation on common priorities.”

      And no, I love reading this stuff.

      • Fred says:

        TTG,

        Rubio puffing out platitudes doesn’t bother me. The press trying to spin “EU officials familiar with” … “U.S.-EU cooperation on common priorities” to mean keep funding Ukraine is the exact opposite of Trump’s position. That kind of lying got old a long time ago

        • TTG says:

          Fred,

          You just haven’t come to terms with the fact that Trump lies profusely. He said he would end the war in 24 hours with one phone call. Good plan, but it didn’t last past reality punching him in the mouth. Since taking office, he’s talking trash to Putin, allowing weapons shipments to continue, came down on Orban to continue EU sanctions and moved Patriots from Israel to Ukraine. I think he’s come up with a different plan.

          • Lars says:

            Since I am just a little older than Trump, it may come down to both of us remember the recriminations about who lost China and he does not want to be his legacy that he lost Ukraine. He is also continuously reminded that he lost several casinos, among other failures. That is one of his biggest fears is to be called a loser and with Ukraine v. Russia, it would soon be much bigger than him. But as we know, that is today. It may not make it until tomorrow.

          • Fred says:

            TTG,

            I’m well aware that politicians lie, such as everyone who said Biden was perfectly healthy. And that Trump’s ’24 hour plan’ was the puffery that it was. In 8 days he has not ended the war that is bleeding Ukraine and Russia white? (Pardon the pun). He left in transit the junk Biden was already sending? Whoopdi doo.

            Russia was defeated two years ago, don’t you remember? Sanctions destroyed their economy, remember? Lots of lies out there that have zero to do with the garbage truck driver now president.

            Again, look at the German elections, the German deindustrialization, and the Gilts (UK Bonds) and the Euro. Have a drink while you do. Those people are all getting screwed by their professional political class, which has paid no price in any of this ongoing tragedy. And Zelensky, still president for life because that ongoing marshal law doesn’t look to be ending any time soon.

          • Fred says:

            Lars,

            The nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek. Stillwell had pointed out their corruption during ww2. They fled to Taiwan.

  4. Yeah, Right says:

    TTG: “You just haven’t come to terms with the fact that Trump lies profusely. He said he would end the war in 24 hours with one phone call. Good plan, but it didn’t last past reality punching him in the mouth.”

    Sorry, but in what way is that evidence of profuse lying?

    It is what it is: an error of judgement from Trump, which is not at all the same thing as a “lie”.

    • TTG says:

      Yeah, Right,

      Sure, that wasn’t a lie, just an empty political promise. He probably believed he could pull it off. His reputation for being a liar was established over many years and is well documented.

      • Fred says:

        TTG,

        If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. No one mandated taking the vax. Russia Collusion. Hunters Laptop. Gentle Giant. I can’t breath.
        Lots of such examples.

  5. English Outsider says:

    Might I again contest what I now privately think of as the “American delusion”? One held in the States by neocons and anti-neocons alike.

    It’s the delusion that the Europeans were drawn willy-nilly into the Ukrainian debacle by the Americans. Yes, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine the Europeans were dragged along in the US wake. They had effectively no “agency” and the marked loss of European diplomatic credibility, seen in the dismissive treatment of European politicians by many non-Western countries, dates from that time. But before the Russian invasion?

    Then it was different. What Berlin/Brussels said and did mattered. It is I believe an error to read the loss of European agency back to before the SMO.

    Because the facts say different. Before February 21st 2022 it was obviously not in the European’s power to attack Russia directly. That could only be done by the US, which was the only Western power with the military and financial strength, and the credibility, to engage in a proxy war with the RF.

    But the Europeans, for all that, still had the determining voice. Without European collusion the US neocons could not have attempted the attack in the first place. The sanctions war, the main thrust of the attack on Russia, depended to a large extent on the Europeans. And the speeches and actions of the time demonstrate the Europeans were as resolute and intemperate in pursuing the sanctions war as the Americans. Also dumb of course – to hope to destroy the enemy’s economy by destroying one’s own isn’t the best way to fight a war – but that’s another matter.

    So too with the provocation that led to that Russian invasion of Ukraine. That depended on the nullification of Minsk II. As Merkel and Hollande were later to confess, Berlin/Brussels were fully as committed to regarding Minsk II as optional, and that from near a decade past now, as were the Americans.

    Also worth looking at the pre-invasion visit to Moscow by Scholz, plus the transcript of Putin’s call to Macron at that time. Both show an attempt by the Europeans to persuade Putin that there was still mileage in Minsk II and the associated Normandy Format. Had Scholz genuinely wanted to prevent what was to follow he would not have needed to go to Moscow. He needed only to go to Kiev to tell Zelensky to pull his troops and heavy armaments back from the LoC. He had the leverage to insist on that at that time. He did not use it.

    Indeed, to regard the Europeans as passive collaborators of the attack on the RF is to misread European intentions at the time. It’s more accurate, I believe, to see the attack as a European project, using US military and financial power to accomplish what the Europeans could not have hoped to achieve single-handed: the destabilising or, many hoped, the dismemberment of the RF. Some recent unguarded remarks by Kallas show that that aim, could they but achieve it, was the aim all along.

    Thoughts occasioned by watching two eminent academics, Professors Wolff and Hudson, discussing the debacle. Set to 29.40 where Professor Wolf states the Europeans were “drawn in”.

    https://youtu.be/os25VsKEFyw?t=1778

    • TTG says:

      EO,

      I agree with your proposition that the EU, or at least the major states of the EU, have agency in many of the security decision made recently. The decision to go into the former Yugoslavia was initiated by Germany, not the US. The same with going into Libya, although that was France and Germany pushing Obama.

      Concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU and the US did not want it to start. The sanctions were meant to discourage such an invasion. The Duma and Putin recognized the DNR and LNR only days before the invasion. Under that pretext, Russia could have moved into those oblasts up to the line of contact in force. At that point I seriously doubt would have done much more than continue to arm Ukraine. Biden even publicly hinted that there were measures Russia could take that would be short of an invasion of Ukraine that would not trigger the full sanctions. Ukraine feared that move would lead to a Russian invasion to claim the entirety of the two oblasts. That’s why they concentrated much of their forces along the LOC.

      • English Outsider says:

        TTG – yes, I think most were taken aback when the Russians moved, and particularly when they moved beyond the LoC. Believe me, I was like everyone else. I’d been following the to and fro between Berlin and Brussels on NS2, deep into the Third Energy Package and all the rest of it, and then this!

        Up to then it had mostly looked like shadow boxing. Both sides showing their teeth and that going back through a string of boys will be boys naval incidents in the Black Sea and the Baltic from 2014 on, but nothing much more than that going on as far as outside Ukraine was concerned. I remember going through the material put out by Lee and Kofman, reputable analysts at that time, both asserting that there was nothing inevitable about this war until late February ’22. Peace was on the menu right up to that time, or so it seemed.

        But by that late February, looking back on it, it was a war waiting to happen. Both the US and Russia thoroughly convinced they were in the right, aggressively so, one might say, as they both still are, the self-declared republics given emergency recognition, civilians being evacuated from the front line areas, powerful armies in readiness both sides, the LDNR forces mobilising like fury, a massive build-up of artillery bombardment – that was a flash point just waiting to be set off and it was. That’s why I’ve always thought of it as the FAFO war.

        For the Russians, a pre-emptive strike before it was too late. For the Americans, an unprovoked invasion. Both views still resolutely held to by either side. That won’t change and unless Trump and Putin can cook up some as yet unimagined deal the resultant war will go the distance.

        No one at the start thought the Russians could lose the war, not on the battlefield. The balance of forces that could be brought to bear in that theatre was always too one-sided. Biden confirmed that when he stated no boots on the ground – and had he put boots on the ground the forces at NATO’s disposal were exiguous in the extreme. The Americans don’t have enough troops and equipment for a severely restricted land war of this nature, the Europeans none of any consequence. This war was always going to be fought with sanctions.

        Those are the usual means tried for bringing a country to its knees and hoping the internal stresses resulting would lead to a weakening of the enemy unity and resolve . We saw how eagerly the Prigozhin episode later was hailed in the West as proof of that. There are still many around, or were until recently, claiming that the RF will suffer long term damage from the sanctions and they’ll work in the end. Still many around arguing that the Russian economy is in a downwards spiral right now, though evidence of that seems to me to be lacking.

        A fair bet, therefore, for the Biden team, this war. Not a lot of downside. No need to take the off-ramps on offer in ’22. The American politicians often pointed out that most of the money expended stayed at home and the Russians were getting mauled for cents on the dollar. Still leaves, for me, the European puzzle. What the hell did the Europeans think they were up to? Not a fair bet for them, decidedly not! A gamble with no plan B and the downside horrendous if it didn’t come off.

        And the notion of them as sad little victims hauled into the mess by Uncle Sam and then left in the lurch – that simply doesn’t add up. The speeches and actions of the European politicians at that time show they were all in, as much or more so than the Americans. Professor Wolff’s remark that the Europeans were “drawn in”, which is the usual take and has been for some time, is way off the mark.

        • English Outsider says:

          TTG – should have qualified a sentence above – “… nothing much more than that going on as far as outside Ukraine was concerned.”

          Should have added, “… as far as we in the general public knew.”

          To take but one instance the Kazakhstan episode, mentioned here recently, could in retrospect be considered as an attempt to divert Russian resources in preparation for what was to come. Set both ends of the RF ablaze simultaneously. The Russians have good Intel in their near abroad. They probably guessed what was up and were prepared for it. But obviously it was not thought of in that way by us at the time.

          Nor now, I’d guess, by most. The Ukrainian debacle is getting less and less attention in Europe. Drifting to the back pages and from there, or at least the politicians hope, to the memory hole.

          Probably a justifiable hope. In Germany the election campaign seems more to be centred on how many refugees could or should be accommodated. Here, the political debate is much the same, the connection between increased immigration pressure and Western foreign policy not a connection we care to examine.

          In the States also? I don’t come across any of your big politicians either who explain to their electorates what happens when, in pursuance of our foreign policy objectives, the West turns half the world upside down: that naturally enough, those whose lives we have turned upside down with it seek refuge here.

  6. Keith Harbaugh says:

    Lots of other issues going on,
    but for future reference I want to add a link to the Tulsi Gabbard Senate confirmation hearing (for DNI) on Thursday , 2025-01-30

    https://youtu.be/1uPo3tiJNo0

    about 3 hours

    Issues discussed:
    her views on Section 702
    her rather soft position on Edward Snowden
    her talking to Bashir Assad, and the allegation of being a “Putin puppet”.

    Kind of interesting to hear senators attack those positions, and TG defend them.

    • Keith Harbaugh says:

      Larry Johnson discusses at length, in careful detail, the Edward Snowden situation:

      https://sonar21.com/what-tulsi-gabbard-should-have-told-senator-bennet-about-ed-snowden/

      Tulsi is a very smart person and a woman of unimpeachable character. I hope she is confirmed.
      That said, she missed a golden opportunity to school Senator Bennet.
      Here is what I wish she had said:

      “Senator, Edward Snowden has not been charged with treason.
      You’re asking me, as part of a political stunt, to cave to political pressure and give you the answer you want.
      Sir, that is not what you want for a Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
      …”

      • TTG says:

        Keith Harbaugh,

        She could have said he was charged with espionage, not treason. That’s the simple truth of the matter.

  7. Lars says:

    There are now reports that the NK troops have withdrawn from the battlefield after suffering large losses. Maybe they realized that they were not ready for modern warfare? In the meantime, Russia’s economy keeps deteriorating. Even their official numbers that few believe are showing weakness. Maybe they should hire their fellow fascist Elon Musk to show them how to make things worse? It would just be another bad decision.

    • TonyL says:

      Lars,

      May be they were not there in the first place? there are about 460,000 ethnic Buryats in Russia. They do look like Koreans.

      I can believe some hundreds Korean troops were in Russia. But I would bet they were not there to do the actual fighting, just to observe and learn combine arms tactics.

      There were no real evidence backing up the Ukraine government’s talking point about 10,000 Korean troops in Russia. I hate to say this, but I think it was an info op on our part.

      • Lars says:

        I am not so sure about that. I have seen multiple sources, both here and in Europe. It is too hard to keep secrets in today’s information age. That includes a report of captured NK soldiers. But time will tell.

        • leith says:

          NoKo moms and dads know what’s happening. Which is why they are paying big bucks for fake medical diagnoses to keep Junior from going to his death in Kursk.

          https://www.newsweek.com/north-korea-conscripts-fake-tuberculosis-military-russia-ukraine-war-2023982

          And by the way, Ukraine has captured at least two, plus hundreds of documents taken of KIA written in Korea’s Chosŏn’gŭl script.

          • Eric Newhill says:

            Leith,
            Really? Buying – like with money? Medical diagnoses – as there is health care?

            Hmm – how to reconcile that most awesome recent Newsweek info with other reports over the years of NoKo citizens starving on grass soup, broke and left to die in the streets without treatment because there is no food, no medicine and the government doesn’t care?

          • leith says:

            Eric –

            I’m no expert on the the Norkos. But wasn’t that famine you are referring to back in the 1990’s? Although I’d bet there are probably still many people going hungry outside of Pyongyang in the boondocks considering the leadership and climate of the country. But perhaps not for some families who have military connections?

            As for Kim’s fabulous socialist health care, there is this report:
            https://www.amnesty.org/es/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/pre012242010en.pdf

    • Mark Logan says:

      Lars,

      The Norks might have been rotated out for a break. They’ve been in the fight for couple months so they are due. None of the reports I have seen include trains being loaded for the long trip back east, just that they are not being seen on the front at the moment.

  8. Keith Harbaugh says:

    What’s going on in Ukraine?
    Apparently their military procurement system is an absolute mess.
    You can Google Ukraine Defense Procurement Agency
    and see a variety of articles on this.
    E.g.
    “What you need to know about Ukraine’s defense procurement controversy – The Washington Post”
    https://search.app/uQe1yHTUDA48uM758

    Some of you are more in touch with what is going on in Ukraine than I am.
    Any opinions on this?

  9. Yeah, Right says:

    Oh dear, goodness gracious me….
    https://www.politico.eu/article/sweden-baltic-sea-cable-cut-not-sabotage/

    Senior Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist: “The investigation now clearly shows that it is not a case of sabotage. It has been established that a combination of the weather situation and deficiencies in equipment and seamanship contributed to the cable break. The preliminary investigation has been systematic and thorough in order to be able to clarify the incident”

    Who could have predicted this? Oh, yeah, I did, and was soundly shouted down by all the people here Who Knew Better Because Of Their Preconceived Notions.

    I do hope you post this, TTG, because this is something that does indeed deserve to be brought to the attention of the Committee of Correspondence rather than be brushed under the carpet.

    • TTG says:

      Yeah, Right,

      Sounds about right. There have been cable cuts ever since cable were laid in the sea. Accidents should account for many of them. This one was determined to be one of those accidents. This was not the ship seized by the Finns after cutting/damaging several cables.

    • leith says:

      YR –

      As you surely must know Bulk Carrier Vezhen is not one of Putin’s ghost ships. She is owned outright by a Bulgarian firm. Sweden and Bulgaria have friendly relations and are both members of NATO, the EU and the Council of Europe. And even though the Swedish prosecutor said the cable dragging was due to “deficiencies in equipment and seamanship” they are apparently letting the Bulgarian shipowners off the hook in the interest of NATO and European harmony.

      Meanwhile Putin’s Ghost Tanker Eagle-S is still under detention in Finland.

      • Yeah, Right says:

        So, basically, your argument is that there is no biggie that this case came up empty, because next one will be the charm.

        Remind me again what Einstein said about the definition of insanity?

        I’ll lay down a marker now: the Finnish investigation will produce the same damp squib as the Swedish investigation, they will conclude that the anchor drag was accidental, and they will quietly release the Eagle-S.

        And when they do and I point this out to TTG I hope that he will again have the good grace to post it.

        • leith says:

          Apples and oranges YR. Eagle S and crew have been in detention now for seven weeks and will continue to be for a while more. Even if the Finnish legal process is not able to convict on the gross sabotage charge, it will not be released until damage compensation is paid. Just yesterday a Finnish judge ruled she shall remain under detention for both the criminal charge and for the civil litigation brought by FinGrid for the cost of repair of their submarine power cable.

          I sometimes wonder if your legal rants are quite sane. But perhaps there is a hidden genius in your barratry.

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