EU Foreign Policy Chief Kallas Rejects Belgian Call to Restore Russian Energy Ties
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas dismissed a suggestion from Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever that Europe should normalize relations with Moscow to regain access to cheaper Russian energy, according to a report on March 18, 2026. The public pushback highlights ongoing divisions within the bloc over long-term strategy toward Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Kallas's Rejection of Normalization
The report states that Kallas pushed back against De Wever's proposal. The Belgian leader had suggested Europe should eventually normalize diplomatic relations with Moscow, framing renewed energy imports as an economic necessity. Kallas, a former prime minister of Estonia, a nation with a history of Soviet occupation, represents a bloc of EU members advocating for maintaining pressure on Russia through sustained sanctions, including on energy.
The Belgian Position
Prime Minister Bart De Wever publicly argued for a pragmatic reassessment of Europe's energy relationship with Russia. His suggestion implied that the economic burden of higher energy costs, which have persisted since 2022, warrants a strategic shift. The call reflects concerns in some European capitals about industrial competitiveness and household energy prices as the conflict continues.
Conflicting Source Availability
While one source provided a detailed account of the exchange, attempts to locate official statements from EU institutional sources yielded only redirect pages with no substantive content. The primary report comes from a single publisher, Eutoday. No corroborating press releases from the European Commission or statements from the European External Action Service, which Kallas leads, were immediately available in the provided source material.