BRUSSELS

Efforts to reach a peace deal in Ukraine are at risk as Russia continues to reject proposed terms and shows no willingness to negotiate in good faith, the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas claimed on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of the EU Council summit in Brussels, Kallas said there is broad international support for peace efforts but warned that pressure remains one-sided.

"We haven't seen any willingness from the Russian side to move or seriously talk about peace. Even the ceasefire for Christmas was rejected. Clearly, we need to put the pressure on Russia so that they would go from pretending to negotiate, to actually come to the table and really negotiate," she said.

Kallas also pointed to the EU’s proposed reparations loan for Ukraine, aimed at financing reconstruction over the next two years, saying it addresses concerns raised by Belgium and other members.

"I hope that we get this over the finishing line. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is banking on us to fail, so we shouldn't give them that ... We just can't afford to fail. We have to show that we are strong," she said.

"This is very important because it sends a strong signal to Russia that they can't outlast us ... The reparations loan is based on the principle that the one who is doing the damage has to also pay for this," Kallas added.

Around €210 billion ($246 billion) in Russian assets remain frozen within the EU. Brussels has proposed using proceeds from those assets to support Ukraine, though most are held by the Belgian financial services company Euroclear, and Belgium has repeatedly raised legal and financial concerns over the plan.

On security guarantees for Ukraine, Kallas said discussions are moving in the "right direction," stressing the need for concrete guarantees from allies, including the US, to ensure Ukraine’s long-term security against future attacks.