The criticism from Lithuania's Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene comes as she arrives at Friday's EU meeting in Copenhagen.
Seeing a damned murderer on the red carpet is not a pleasant sight for any of us, Sakaliene responds to the question of what she felt when Putin was received by US President Donald Trump in Alaska recently.
The Lithuanian is far from alone among the EU defense ministers in criticizing Putin and Russia for the continued warfare.
We see no serious intention from the Russian side to come to any kind of peace agreement, says Swedish Jonson.
The EU's Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas, in turn, accuses Russia of "mocking" the entire peace process.
New Danish model
At the meeting of defense ministers, among other things, what is called the "new Danish model" for Ukraine support was discussed. It involves helping Ukraine by allowing the country to produce its weapons in EU countries, instead of at home.
Denmark, Sweden, and Poland are all in the starting blocks to protect Ukrainian manufacturers from Russian bombs in this way.
Thus, we can offer better protection for Ukraine and we can also learn some of the production methods that Ukraine has developed in recent years, says Pål Jonson.
Soldiers on site?
The Minister of Defense is not deterred by the fact that Ukrainian production in Sweden may become a target for Russian attacks.
We should not let ourselves be intimidated by Russia in this regard. I do not think there is reason for fear about it, says Jonson.
He is at the same time open to Swedish soldiers being on site in Ukraine in the future – but only if and when there is some kind of ceasefire or agreement on a ceasefire.
We do not rule it out and we are far ahead in planning compared to many other countries. It is likely to be a contribution in the air or sea domain, notes Pål Jonson in Copenhagen.
Wiktor Nummelin/TT
Fact: Education and billion support
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At the EU countries' informal meeting of defense ministers in Copenhagen on Friday, among other things, how to change the mandate for the EU's operation to train the Ukrainian military so that it can be carried out in Ukraine as soon as a possible ceasefire is in place was discussed.
Several countries also pressed Hungary to stop blocking multi-billion support to Ukraine from the EU fund EPF. A new idea being put forward is to use EPF money to finance the purchase of weapons from the US to Ukraine, as many then believe it will be harder for Hungary's Donald Trump-friendly Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to say no.
"There is no justification for continuing to block EPF", says EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas at the press conference afterwards.
