When she was prime minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas represented 1.3 million people in a tiny nation sandwiched between Russia and the Baltic Sea. Since taking up her post as European Union (EU) foreign affairs chief in late 2024, the 47-year-old now speaks on the world stage for some 450 million people spread across 27 countries.
But one thing hasn’t changed: Kallas remains keenly focused on Russia.
“Clearly sabotage is on the rise in Europe,” Kallas told DW’s Alexandra von Nahmen when asked about a string of suspected hybrid attacks, the latest involving deep-sea cables in the Swedish economic zone of the Baltic.
“We shouldn’t really see these events in isolation, but as part of a bigger picture. And understand that Russia has intentions towards Europe and European security architecture that haven’t changed,” Kallas said in the exclusive DW interview at the Brussels headquarters of the European External Action Service on Thursday.
As someone born in Soviet-occupied Estonia, it is perhaps unsurprising that the politically centrist Kallas has earned a reputation as one of Moscow’s fiercest critics and Ukraine’s staunchest backers.
US, EU ‘still friends,’ Kallas insists
Right now, that means working closely with the freshly inaugurated administration of ultranationalist US President Donald Trump, which is studded with radical right-wing appointments.
Together, the US and EU countries have channeled arms and aid to Ukraine for three years. But in his first few weeks in office, Trump has wasted no time in slamming the EU over trade and defense spending. He also shocked Europe by declaring a desire to take over the autonomous Danish territory Greenland.
“We are still friends. We are still allies,” Kallas said of the EU-US relationship. “They are our biggest partner in terms of economy, but in terms of security as well.”
“I had a very good call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week. We were going over the different parts of the world where we cooperate and also seeing where we can do more,” she said. “So I’m quite positive that we have a good relationship.”
And what about Greenland?
“It’s clear that the United States is party to international agreements. International agreements that say that you have to respect territorial integrity […] and I have no doubt they will do so,” Kallas said.
Asked whether the EU might consider stationing troops there, Kallas said no discussion had been held on the matter.
Similar ‘picture’ of Ukraine, but strategy unclear
Kallas also struck a conciliatory tone over Washington’s approach to Kyiv.
“They are understanding that to end this war, we have to put the pressure on Russia, because Russia is the one who started this war.”
Trump has previously claimed he could broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine within one day, prompting fears he might pressure Kyiv into a quick peace deal on what the EU would view as unfavorable terms that could embolden Moscow into further military campaigns.
Now in office, Trump seems to be taking a tougher stance vis-a-vis Russian President Vladimir Putin than some had expected, though he has also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“President Trump has been very strong in his statements towards Putin,” Kallas said. “So I guess we see the picture quite similarly.”
But what did Rubio, Kallas’ US counterpart, actually tell her about strategy in Ukraine in their conversation?
“We will have to also meet in person and to discuss these things, but it’s clear that they want to end this war,” she said. “Everybody wants to end this war because everybody wants there to be peace. But it’s also clear, and that was also what [Rubio] said, it’s clear that the peace must be sustainable.”
US volatility as a chance for Europe?
Europe is undeniably on edge over Trump, who has already frozen US foreign aid and pulled his country out of the Paris climate agreement. But Kallas sought to argue that US unpredictability, as well as the general volatility of the global geopolitical situation, is a chance for the EU.
“I think this time we have right now is very challenging, but at the same time, it also gives the European Union the opportunity to really be a big geopolitical player on the world stage.
“The new US administration is […] making all the other countries also look to the European Union because we are the predictable partner, we are the stable partner,” Kallas said. “That gives us also the opportunity to grow our geopolitical power.”
Edited by: Carla Bleiker
