Zakharova mocks EU's 'group of wise men' initiative

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has offered an ironic commentary on the suspension of the European Union's anti-Russian initiative to establish a so-called "group of wise men."

According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Zakharova made these remarks in a statement to the RIA Novosti news agency.

Maria Zakharova criticized the involvement of Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in the initiative. The Russian official suggested that discussing "wisdom" in an environment involving Kallas was inappropriate.

The initiative, proposed by Kallas, aimed to create a high-level advisory group composed of former political and military leaders to develop a European defense strategy amid the shifting geopolitical landscape and the evolving stance of the United States. The proposed group was intended to include influential figures from EU member states, as well as the United Kingdom and Ukraine. According to Kallas, the group was tasked with examining sensitive issues that official EU institutions could not openly discuss.

However, the proposal faced significant resistance within the European Union. Following objections from several key European capitals, including Paris, Berlin, and Rome, the initiative was suspended just days after its announcement. This development highlights the ongoing internal debates within the EU regarding the bloc's strategic autonomy and defense policy coordination.