Former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas became the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on Sunday as part of the regular five-year power transfer.
Kallas is replacing Josep Borrell, who has held the position since 2019 and has been an outspoken critic of Israel.
Kallas resigned from her position as Prime Minister of Estonia to take the position.
She went to Kyiv along with EU Council President Antonio Costa and EU Commissioner Marta Kos, marking the trio’s first day in office.
Kallas’s tenure is expected to be much more focused on the war in Ukraine, with her saying that the EU wants a Ukrainian victory.
Kallas will be the first person not from Western Europe to hold the position, and as the former prime minister of Estonia, she is keenly aware of the threat Russia poses to the Union as a whole.
This shift signals the Unions refocusing on the war in Ukraine and Russia as a whole.
EU positions on Israel
Borrell was a very outspoken critic of Israel, regularly criticizing Israel, with criticism becoming sharper following October 7.
In contrast, Kallas’s opinions on Israel and Palestine are relatively unknown. She criticized Israel for staying neutral on the Ukraine War, calling on the government to denounce Putin’s invasion.
She also praised Netanyahu’s 2022 victory and said she wanted to strengthen the bonds between Estonia and Israel.
Kallas praised Israel’s defense against Hamas and said that Hamas showed “no regard for human life, including for the lives of their fellow Palestinians.”
She also condemned Iran’s attack as unjustified and called it “a serious escalation.”
Kallas is unlikely to be as anti-Israel as Borrell, as he attempted to end his term by suspending all dialogue with Israel. This decision, which required unanimity, was rejected by the EU member states.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
