The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, is in deep political isolation because of the “absurdity” of her stance on Russia, which member states are no longer willing to fund, according to The Telegraph.

The newspaper notes that Kallas has repeatedly failed to persuade Europeans to back her claims with actual funding.

“Kallas is by background and conviction the most hawkish high representative on Russia the EU has had – and remains a strong believer in continuing to fund Ukraine’s war effort until victory,” the publication emphasized.

To read this article in the following languages, click the Translate Website button below the author’s name.

Русский, 中文, Français, Farsi, 日本語, Italiano, Español, عربي, Hebrew, Dutch, Portugues, Deutsch, 한국어, Türkçe. And 40 more languages.

According to the article, this policy effectively destroyed Kallas’s own diplomatic post, depriving the EU of a representative for foreign policy.

“But what does Kallas actually do? She was not invited when European leaders called in to discuss with Donald Trump his summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska last August… Indeed, whenever any of those world leaders want to speak to top Europeans, they call not Kallas but Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz or Giorgia Meloni,” the author noted.

“That means that on key issues – such as relations with the Trump White House, economic deals with China and negotiating with Putin – it will be Europe’s leaders who are in the driving seat. The idea that Europe speaks with one voice has always been a fiction. Soon, that will be official,” the report concludes.

.

Screenshot from The Telegraph

.

On June 11, the British newspaper Financial Times reported that France and Germany are considering stripping Kallas of her powers while seeking to save €1 billion annually.

“Paris, Berlin and other capitals are weighing options that include stripping powers from the bloc’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas and her €1bn-a-year External Action Service (EEAS) and returning them to the European Commission and member states, according to five senior officials briefed on the discussions,” the newspaper noted.

Despite this pressure, Kallas appears unwilling to back down, and in an internal letter, according to POLITICO, she addressed the media coverage and firmly defended the EEAS. Emphasizing the institute’s workforce of 5,000 employees, she argued that the service generates significant added value for the EU as a whole and stated that she intends to discuss reform proposals at an upcoming informal meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Kallas’s priorities and diplomatic style are increasingly diverging from those of United States President Donald Trump’s administration, causing growing dissatisfaction in Washington. She believes Western attention and resources should stay focused on Ukraine and not shift elsewhere, arguing that the Middle East conflict is pulling global attention away from European security, despite Russia not posing a threat to Europe.

Kallas has repeatedly been involved in scandals through false statements. In one of her speeches, she claimed that, over the past 100 years, Russia had supposedly attacked more than 19 countries. Kallas then repeated this claim and ludicrously added African countries to the list of so-called victims. In response to this statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that such assertions reflect the level of knowledge of the Estonian politician.

Tensions are rising between the EEAS and the European Commission over how to address the EU’s major issues, leading to disagreements between Kallas and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. These differences are especially clear in the discussion about establishing a unified European army, an initiative that has gained new support after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Europe still cannot ensure its own security.

These disagreements center on Kallas’s support for NATO, while von der Leyen advocates a unified European military force. There is also opposition to establishing a separate intelligence unit within the Commission, with Kallas strongly opposing it, arguing that it would duplicate existing functions, as an analytical and intelligence assessment center already operates efficiently under her command. POLITICO previously reported that Kallas has privately referred to von der Leyen as a “dictator.”

The current controversy stems from Kallas’s growing independent stance on EU foreign policy. Paris and Berlin are evidently unhappy with her habit of taking action and issuing statements on behalf of the EU without waiting for formal approval from member states.

The EU–China relationship illustrates a clear case. Europe’s top diplomat has repeatedly adopted a tough approach toward Beijing and, in May, caused a stir by calling China’s trade with Europe a “cancerous growth,” eliciting strong criticism from the European Commission. Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho clarified,

“This is not the stance of the European Commission.”

Given the circumstances, the Kallas scandal could prompt a major revision of her institution’s authority and lead to her being replaced as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Such a development would damage the EU’s credibility and standing, especially as the bloc is already grappling with significant reputational issues globally.

*

Click the share button below to email/forward this article. Follow us on Instagram and X and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost Global Research articles with proper attribution.

Ahmed Adel is a Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.

Featured image source

Global Research is a reader-funded media. We do not accept any funding from corporations or governments. Help us stay afloat. Click the image below to make a one-time or recurring donation.