EU citizens should be better informed about what it would mean to have a “puppet” government in Ukraine, as in Belarus, if Russia were to take over the country in the run-up to EU elections in June, warned the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, pointing out that President Vladimir Putin currently seems to have no intention of backing down.

“Russia is going all out. Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of giving in. His political survival is at stake,” Borrell told Euractiv’s partner EFE in an interview during his fourth visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded two years ago.

Putin “is going to go all out and does not mind sacrificing his army and his people, as he is suffering enormous material and human losses and has not achieved any significant territorial advances”, the EU’s top diplomacy chief added.

Noting Ukraine’s failure to capitalise on a counter-offensive on the battlefield due to it facing “powerful Russian defences”, Borrell highlighted Moscow’s current “defensive” strategy.

On his visit to Kyiv, Borrell delivered the EU’s “strong” message of solidarity and military, political and financial support.

(Catalina Guerrero | EFE, Kyiv)

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