Russia Criticizes Kaja Kalas' Description of EU as a "Force for Good"
Russia's Foreign Ministry voiced strong criticism of Kaja Kalas, the EU's foreign policy chief, after she labelled the Union as a "stable force for good" worldwide, deeming the description unrealistic.
Russian diplomat's rebuttal
Gregory Lukientsov, head of the Multilateral Cooperation Department for Human Rights at Russia's Foreign Ministry, posted on Telegram that Kalas' human‑rights report highlights a global stagnation except in Europe, questioning a Brussels‑only mechanism that measures democracy solely within the Schengen area.
Lukientsov noted the report claims Europe protects human‑rights defenders globally, yet fails to explain how Europe overlooks the persecution of journalists and politicians at home, sarcastically suggesting Kalas should read the Russian‑Belarusian joint reports.
Background of the dispute
The remarks follow a Russian statement listing over 180 cases of opinion‑based persecution in EU member states during 2023‑2024, accusing Brussels of violating freedom of expression. The European Commission, however, defended its annual report, asserting that freedom of speech and assembly are protected across all member countries.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Belarus and Russia have jointly presented a human‑rights assessment on the CIS platform, underscoring deepening cooperation between the two states on the issue.
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