A battered Ukraine facing another harsh winter in its fight against Russia, the continued bombardment of Gaza by Israel without any sign of a political solution, a forgotten civil war in Sudan, and the uncertainty that now follows the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
Former prime minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas has taken over as the EU’s foreign affairs chief at a time when – in her own words – the world is “on fire”.
Kallas (47) is known as a hawk on Russia. From the very beginning of the Ukraine war she was pushing for the EU to do more to help Kiev defeat Russian president Vladimir Putin’s invading force.
When the leaders of the 27 EU states met during summits in Brussels, Kallas was a loud voice in the room as the debate turned to the Ukraine war. Then leading a Baltic country of only 1.3 million people that shares a border with Russia, she sought to make sure other European leaders did not underestimate the wider threat Putin posed, particularly if he was allowed to succeed in Ukraine.
A liberal politician, she was prime minister of Estonia from 2021 until mid 2024, when she was tapped to take over as the EU’s top political representative on foreign affairs at the end of this year.
Senior figures who have worked with Kallas at EU level describe her as a very capable politician, who is easy to get on with personally. Her contributions during EU summits were pointed and clear, especially on Ukraine, according to one former leader who dealt with Kallas in recent years. She brought a bit more realism to the debates during the closed door meetings, the former leader said.
“To be that close to Russia your mind is probably more focused,” they said of her.
A staunch Atlanticist, Kallas had previously signalled her interest in heading up the Nato western military alliance, a job which former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte later secured. Her mindset on defence is that EU states need to spend more and work closer together, so that Europe can defend itself from threats like Russia, with or without help from elsewhere.
The new foreign affairs chief will likely be less passionately focused on Palestine than her predecessor, Josep Borrell, the 77-year-old Spanish socialist. Borrell was known for speaking his mind, particularly when it came to condemning Israel’s actions during its war in Gaza. The Spanish politician often found himself at odds with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who will probably have a much better relationship with Kallas.
The former Estonian leader is thought to be closer to the middle of the road position of many northern and central European states on the war in Gaza. She is not in the camp pushing for the EU to hold Israel to account, which includes Spain, Ireland and Belgium, or those seen as Israel’s fiercest defenders, like Germany, Hungary, Austria, and Czechia.
Kallas is said to view the world through the prism of the threat posed by Russia, China and Iran. Commenting on the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, she remarked how it pointed to the waning power of Russia and Iran, who previously had propped up the autocratic Syrian ruler.
How well she gets across the details of her brief in the Middle East and Africa, where she is more of an unknown quantity, will be watched closely.
As EU foreign policy needs to be decided by unanimity, her role will also be defined by how adept she is at convincing serial objectors like Hungary to stop blocking decisions. The far right government of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban is holding up the release of €6.6 billion in funds from the EU to Ukraine and refusing to budge.
Both Hungary and Slovakia recently vetoed a plan to sanction officials in the Georgian government, over a crackdown on protests there and attempt to shift the country closer to Russia.
“It’s my first Hungarian veto but I can guarantee it’s not the last,” Kallas joked afterwards.
When it comes to the Ukraine war, most EU states are supportive of Kyiv. However, this unity may fray as the debate turns to a possible settlement of the conflict in the future. Kallas is clear on her position, stating recently: “We must give Ukraine what it needs to win this war”.
Diplomats and officials have picked up a desire from Kallas to make decisions quicker, so the EU is not seen as a laggard that only agrees on what to do long after the moment has passed.
That change of pace was clear when she chaired her first meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers, where policy is trashed out. When Borrell ran the meetings they could start late, run over time, and end inconclusively. At her first meeting in December Kallas had a different style of doing things, according to one source in the room.
“She seems to be running a tighter ship”, they said.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Our In The News podcast is now published daily – Find the latest episode here
