EU officials are reportedly uneasy with the foreign policy chief’s hawkish Russia stance and leadership, according to Politico.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, has faced criticism from numerous EU officials, according to Politico’s sources, due to her assertive stance on Russia and her leadership approach.
The issues reportedly surfaced when Kallas tweeted, “The European Union wants Ukraine to win this war” against Russia, shortly after assuming office in December. According to the report, several EU officials felt uncomfortable with the former Estonian prime minister’s perceived overreach in diverging from established diplomatic language so soon after starting her new role.
”If you listen to her, it seems we are at war with Russia, which is not the EU line,” Politico quoted one EU official as saying on Wednesday.
Kallas has been a strong voice against Russia and has pushed for increased military aid to Ukraine. Her proposal to raise EU military support for Kiev to €40 billion ($43.1 million) this year met resistance from member states, including Italy and Spain, who do not consider Moscow an immediate threat to the EU. However, Politico noted that Kallas retains support from the EU’s northern and eastern countries.
Russia has publicly condemned Kallas, describing her statements as “rabidly Russophobic” and “undiplomatic,” while accusing her of advocating for militarization during ongoing US-brokered peace talks regarding Ukraine.
She has also been reportedly criticized for an alleged failure to consult with diplomats from member countries before proposing sensitive policies, which some see as continuing to act like a prime minister.
Some officials have also raised concerns about Kallas’s relationship with the United States. Sources speaking to Politico suggested that the abrupt cancellation of her February meeting in Washington with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, officially due to “scheduling issues,” may have been because Kallas did not adequately prepare by providing a clear agenda to her US counterparts.
Following a tense exchange in the Oval Office involving US President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, Kallas tweeted, “The free world needs a new leader.” This apparent criticism of Trump reportedly unsettled nations that are keen to maintain strong relationships with the US administration.
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