‘The EU wants Ukraine to win this war’: who is its new chief diplomat Kaja Kallas? | European Union
It was no surprise that Kaya Callas went to Ukraine on his first day as the EU’s top diplomat.
Callas, which resigned as Prime Minister of Estonia to take up the role, was joined in Kiev on Sunday by new European Council President Antonio Costa and European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Koss, marking the change of leadership in the EU institutions on 1 December.
“On my first visit since taking office, my message is clear: European Union wants Ukraine to win this war,” Kalas said.
The EU’s foreign policy chief is not the most decisive factor in ending the war, but Callas’ words will still be welcomed in Kiev: they are not just the vague promises of many EU leaders to stand by Ukraine “as long as necessary” but an unequivocal commitment to victory.
Callas, a 47-year-old former MEP, took over from Josep Borrell, 77, a veteran Spanish politician who was never afraid to speak his mind. Asked about Donald Trump’s return at an event at the Brussels Geopolitics Institute last week, Borrell did not offer the standard platitudes of “strong US leadership”.
Instead he said, “How not, how not to worry? I certainly am.” Nor did he offer soothing bromides on the dahlias Europe will fill the void of a potential withdrawal of US support from Ukraine: ‘I don’t think anyone knows the answer.’
Borel also has strongly criticized Israel for its goal of destroying Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which by mid-November had killed more than 44,000 people, according to Palestinian officials. He made a failed attempt for the imposition of sanctions by the EU of two far-right Israeli ministers, as well as an equally fruitless attempt to suspended diplomatic dialogue with Israel in the final days of his term.
His strong stance on Gaza has put Borrell at odds with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who has been criticized for her staunch defense of Israel.
But in a union deeply divided between states, this recognize Palestine (Spain and Ireland) and staunch supporters of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government (Czech Republic and Hungary), Borrell stood out for his clarity.
“He was definitely a voice of principle,” said Nathalie Tocci, who advised Borel and his predecessor, Federica Mogherini. But looking back on his record, Tocci added: “To be honest, there wasn’t a lot of action.”
Tocci, director of the Institute of International Affairs in Rome, said Borrell had not taken on major projects pursued by previous EU chiefs who made progress in brokering deals with Iran, stabilizing the Balkans and developing the EU’s foreign policy machine.
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Hans Kriebe, co-director of the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, however, credits Borrell with helping to create a unified response to Russia’s aggressive war. “He quickly realized in February 2022 that the EU needed someone to bang their heads together and I think he played that role with gusto.”
Borel’s job was made easier because Russia’s full-scale invasion sparked powerful unity among the EU’s 27 member states, which within days took unprecedented decisions to provide military aid to Ukraine and open the door to millions of Ukrainian refugees through the previously unused temporary protection directive.
Kriebe added: “Your effectiveness depends on how much unity there is among EU governments. So without unity you are dancing in the wind.”
Callas is likely to face tougher times as EU unity on Ukraine begins to crumble. “The immediate question is how long Europe’s consensus on Russia and Ukraine holds as Trump moves toward negotiating a peace deal in 2025,” Kriebe said. For several years, any proposal for talks with Moscow was “politically radioactive”, but that is no longer the case, the analyst added. “So all these dividing lines are bound to re-emerge between those who support a peace deal and perhaps resumption of economic ties with Russia and those who want to fight over them.”
As an instinctive transatlantic, Callas will also be under pressure to show she is not too quick to accede to US demands on China.
EU foreign policy watchers also want to know whether Callas can lead the bloc’s direction beyond Eastern Europe. Before her appointment, several western EU member states had reservations, seeing her as too “monotonic” on Ukraine and Russia, rather than a high-ranking representative with a strong interest in the world.
When Callas returns from Kiev, she will face scrutiny over how she leads the EU’s financially strapped foreign policy service around the world and whether she can be more than just a strong voice.
The High Representative, Tocci said, must ensure that they can be a voice of conscience that leads member states with them. “Otherwise it’s nice and makes you feel good, but does it actually do anything?”
