BRUSSELS, Monday, February 23, 2026 (WNP): The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Monday said the bloc must intensify efforts to counter foreign information manipulation and increase pressure on Russia as the fourth anniversary of the Ukraine war approaches.
Arriving for a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Kallas told reporters that EU foreign ministers would hold extensive discussions on disinformation campaigns and what she described as “cognitive warfare.”
“It is a battle of narratives for the hearts and minds,” she said, warning that hostile networks were operating against European interests.
While the EU has developed tools to help partner countries tackle foreign information manipulation, she acknowledged that the challenge is now increasingly affecting Europe itself.
With Tuesday marking four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kallas said ministers would discuss a proposed 20th sanctions package against Russia. However, she cautioned that progress was unlikely at Monday’s meeting due to opposition from some member states.
Hungary has voiced strong reservations about the new sanctions package. Kallas said efforts were ongoing to persuade countries blocking the proposal but acknowledged that a breakthrough was not expected immediately.
She stressed that pressure in peace negotiations should be directed at Moscow rather than Kyiv. “If we want this war to stop, we need to see concessions from the Russian side,” she said, adding that demands in any negotiation must focus on what Russia is prepared to concede.
Responding to questions about optimism expressed elsewhere regarding possible diplomatic breakthroughs, Kallas said she did not share that view. She argued that Russian negotiators had shown little willingness to engage seriously on political issues and warned that pushing Ukraine to concede territory would not secure lasting peace.
She also said that if limitations were discussed regarding Ukraine’s armed forces, similar considerations should apply to Russia’s military capabilities.
On the broader regional picture, Kallas reiterated that long-term peace would require Russia to withdraw from occupied territories, including areas in Georgia and Moldova.
She described Moscow’s continued military presence in neighbouring countries as central to regional instability.
Beyond Ukraine, EU ministers were set to discuss developments in the Middle East, including Gaza and Syria. Kallas said the EU wants to play a constructive role in the Gaza peace process and highlighted existing EU missions such as the EUBAM Rafah border assistance mission and EUPOL COPPS, which supports Palestinian policing capacity.
She noted that disarming Hamas would require strengthening Palestinian security institutions and said the EU had coordinated with Jordan and Egypt on potential support, though Israeli approval would be necessary for certain initiatives.
On Syria, Kallas described the current ceasefire as fragile and stressed the need for inclusive governance and national reconciliation. Ministers were expected to assess whether conditions are appropriate for initiating higher-level political dialogue with Damascus.
Addressing tensions involving Iran, Kallas warned that the region could not afford another conflict. She called for a diplomatic solution encompassing not only Iran’s nuclear programme but also its ballistic missile activities and broader security concerns.
“We do not need another war in this region,” she said, emphasizing that diplomacy remains the preferred path.
The council meeting was also set to briefly address developments in Venezuela and other issues raised by member states.
As the EU confronts simultaneous security, diplomatic and political challenges, Kallas framed the day’s discussions as part of a broader effort to safeguard European stability and reinforce the bloc’s role in addressing global crises.
