Who is Kaya Kallas soon the EU's top diplomat?

Almost at the finish, as the new names it wants to lead the EU must also be approved by the European Parliament. The 27 EU leaders decided by large Thursday to appoint Ursula von der Leyen for European Commission presidents. Italy abstained, after which there was dissatisfaction with the appointments. Antonio Costa is appointed as chairman of the EU Council. While Estonian Prime Minister Kaya Kallas is expected to be the new EU in charge of foreign policy, thus replacing current charge, Josep Borrell. EU leaders decided Thursday on its candidacy at the Brussels summit. However, Kallas still has some obstacles that must pass until she is eventually appointed as the EU's top diplomat. Kallas himself has indicated that if he is talking about the post of foreign policy charge, it is only about an candidacy. In an interview for Estonian public radio, Kallas said that Thursday (the question is for the EU summit, where the names of key posts in the EU are determined.) It is not yet determined who the EU's next foreign policy charge will be. It's just who wants to be a candidate. But this is a big “nder for me and Estonia.” Kallas' plans were to become NATO Secretary General, but for some in NATO she was considered a politician with a harsh language. In the Middle East conflict, however, it holds a more balanced line than Borrell, considered close to Palestinians.

Families With Political Traditions

The 47-year-old Kaya Kallas well knows European politics and is a very wanted politician at EU summits. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Kallas has demanded that Ukraine be assisted quickly and efficiently. Kallas takes an open stand against Russian President Putin and is on Russia's list of wanted persons. He wants us to be afraid, but with this we'll give him what he gets. So we shouldn't be afraid of”, Callas said in an interview with Estonian radio.

Kallas is considered in Estonia as the “iron lady”, although there is little in common with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thattcher. It comes from a family of political traditions. In 1991, after the independence of Estonia from Russia, her father, Simim Kallas, became foreign minister and Financas. It was Sim Kallas who negotiated Estonia's membership in the EU and NATO as Estonian prime minister in 2002-2003. Sim Kallas has also been the EU commissioner for currency and economic issues.

Callas before politics made a career as a lawyer. With commitment to politics, Kallas became Eurodeputte and later the first Estonian prime minister -- the country that has a direct border with Russia, where a large Russian minority lives. Maja Kallas, with her friendly but firm stance, has made Estonia bear weight in the EU.

Kalla's population declines in Estonia

German media, “tageschau” analyzes Kallas's transition from national politics to the EU's, saying that this step could also have domestic political reasons. Kalla's political popularity has suffered greatly following strong measures of savings taken by her government. In European elections, Kallas's reform party came in third with about 17, 9%.

The EU does not really have a foreign minister, because diplomacy is considered a largely national duty. Instead, for about 15 years, the EU has a “High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy”, which heads the European Foreign Affairs Service (EEAS) with around 4,500 employees and is also part of the EU Commission. /DW