The European Union has signalled it future policy towards Russia by announcing the appointment of the hard line Estonian president, Kaja Kallas, as the new EU chief ‘foreign policy chief’¹.

Kaja Kallas has been prime minister of Estonia since 2021 and is one of the staunchest supporters of the Kyiv regime. She is one of the most hawkish leaders in the EU when it comes to the crisis in Ukraine. As well as calling for more military support, including sending troops², she has suggested that breaking up the Russian Federation as a war aim³. This is particularly worrying since the Russian Federation might use nuclear weapons could be used if “the very survival of a State would be at stake”.

Despite her comments over Russia, her husband did have large business interests in Russia⁴ which led to calls for her resignation⁵. As with Rishi Sunak having “nothing to do” with his wife’s investment in Russia⁶, never let principles interfere with a good profit.

She has also been place on Russia’s wanted list for removing WWII memorials in Estonia⁷. While this may seem trivial there is great resentment in Russia that their battle against Nazi Germany where most of the fighting took place, with Russia loosing over 20million people, is being airbrushed from history in the West.

It is understandable that some people in the Baltic States might have negative views of Russia due to the occupation of their countries by the Soviet Union after WWII. However, things have changed considerably, both within Russia and its environment. Her father (Siim Kalllas) was a Soviet official for many years including serving on Congress of People’s Deputies of the Soviet Union⁸. He has also been president of Estonia 2002–2003.

She was also put forward for NATO chief⁹ which might have been appropriate for her militaristic views than the more diplomatic position within the EU.

Does the appointment of such a hawkish militarist indicate that the European Union is going to focus more on military power than diplomacy?

1. EU leaders agree top jobs, Meloni and Orbán hold out; euronews; 27 June 2023 (https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/06/27/eu-leaders-agree-on-top-jobs-ursula-von-der-leyen-antonio-costa-and-kaja-kallas) ↩︎
2. Estonia ‘seriously’ discussing sending troops to ‘rear’ jobs in Ukraine: Official; Breaking Defense; 13 May 2024 (https://breakingdefense.com/2024/05/estonia-seriously-discussing-sending-troops-to-rear-jobs-in-ukraine-official/) ↩︎
3. Keeping Up Support to Ukraine – Defining as Long as It Takes? · Lennart Meri Conference 2024 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcFUnybWftM&t=3708s) ↩︎
4. Estonia PM Kallas under pressure to quit over husband’s Russia ties; Reuters; 25 August 2023 (https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/estonia-pm-kallas-under-pressure-quit-over-husbands-russia-ties-2023-08-25/) ↩︎
5. ‘Witch-hunt’: Estonian prime minister defends husband’s Russian business links; The Guardian; 13 September 2023 (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/13/estonia-prime-minister-husband-russian-business-links) ↩︎
6. Rishi Sunak denies link to Russia through firm part-owned by wife; BBC; 24 March 2022 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60866778) ↩︎
7. Russia puts the leader of NATO member Estonia on a wanted list over the removal of Soviet-era monuments; Associated Press; 13 February 2023 (https://apnews.com/article/russia-estonia-kallas-wanted-list-4ca301df09eace6643be66a9a4a93fe8) ↩︎
8. Siim Kallas; Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siim_Kallas) ↩︎
9. Estonian PM Kaja Kallas open to being next NATO chief; Politico; 14 November 2023 (https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/14/estonian-pm-kaja-kallas-open-nato-chief-00127094) ↩︎