Despite troubled times and not-so-good news from the United States, Kaja Kallas expressed optimistic notes in an interview with DW.
When she was the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas represented 1.3 million citizens of a small country situated between Russia and the Baltic Sea.
Since taking over as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs at the end of 2024, the 47-year-old now speaks on behalf of around 450 million Europeans living in 27 countries.
However, one thing has not changed: Kallas remains highly focused on Russia.
“It is clear that sabotage in Europe is increasing,” Kallas said in an interview with DW when asked about suspicions surrounding a series of recent hybrid attacks targeting underwater cables in the Swedish economic zone in the Baltic Sea.
“We should not view these events as isolated incidents, but rather as part of a bigger picture. And we must understand that Russia’s objectives toward Europe and the European security architecture have not changed,” Kallas stated.
Born in Soviet-occupied Estonia, it may not be surprising that Kallas is considered one of Moscow’s harshest critics and one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters.
EU and US Remain “Still Friends” – Kallas Insists
But how will cooperation be with the new US administration under President Donald Trump, who is often associated with ultranationalist tendencies and filled with right-wing radicals?
When Trump first took office, he blocked foreign aid, criticized the EU regarding trade and defense spending, and shook Europe with his desire to take control of Denmark’s autonomous territory of Greenland.
“We are still friends. We are still allies,” Kallas said regarding EU-US relations. “The US is our largest partner both economically and in terms of security.”
“This week, I had a very good phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. We talked about various parts of the world where we cooperate and where we can do more,” she added. “So I am confident that we have a good relationship.”
Shared Views on Ukraine, But Unclear Strategy
Speaking about the stance and approach of Washington toward Kyiv, the EU’s foreign affairs chief Kallas used conciliatory tones.
“They understand that to end this war, we must put pressure on Russia, because Russia is the one that started this war,” Kallas said.
Before taking office, President Trump had claimed that he could mediate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine within a day.
This statement sparked fears that he might exert pressure on Kyiv to reach a quick peace agreement on terms that the EU would consider unfavorable, potentially encouraging Moscow to launch further military campaigns.
Now that Trump has left office, he seems to have adopted a firmer stance against Russian President Vladimir Putin than some had expected, although he has also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“President Trump has been very strong in his statements toward Putin,” Kallas said. “So I think we share similar views.”
When asked about what specifically she had discussed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the strategy toward Ukraine, Kallas mentioned that they needed to meet in person to discuss these matters.
“Everyone wants to end this war because everyone wants peace. But it’s also clear, as [Rubio] said, that peace must be sustainable.”
