Kallas: entering war is easy, leaving is harder

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned at a summit in Brussels that the Union could easily be drawn into a wider conflict in the Middle East – but leaving it would be far harder, Politico reports.

She summed up her concern with a vivid comparison, saying war is like a love affair – easy to enter, much harder to leave. She was referring in particular to the risk of the EU being drawn into a prolonged conflict with Iran alongside the US and Israel.

At the same time, she stressed that Europe must protect its own strategic interests in the region. Kallas acknowledged there was currently no significant support for extending the Aspides naval mission beyond the Red Sea to other crisis areas.

Tensions are also rising around the Strait of Hormuz, where tankers have been stranded and oil and gas prices have surged following Tehran’s closure of the route. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has called on European allies to join efforts to escort civilian ships.

(pir)