VILNIUS – Kaja Kallas, who stepped down as Estonia’s prime minister on Monday to assume the role of the European Union’s next foreign policy chief, is known for her stringent stance on Russia. This has raised questions about her ability to represent the diverse views across the EU bloc.
Kallas, 47, has established her reputation as a staunch critic of neighboring Russia and its expansionist ambitions since she became Estonia’s prime minister in early 2021. A resolute advocate in the EU and NATO for unconditional support to Kyiv and containment of Moscow, she led her nation of 1.4 million people to become one of the highest per-capita military donors to Ukraine.
Kallas has been wanted in Russia since February for her involvement in removing Soviet-era monuments in Estonia. Born in Tallinn, she is the great-granddaughter of Estonia’s first chief of police following its independence from the Russian Empire after World War One, only for the country to be absorbed into the Soviet Union in 1940.
Her mother was six months old when her family was forcibly relocated to Siberia in 1949 along with 20,000 other Estonians. “Russia hasn’t changed,” Kallas said last year, marking an anniversary of her mother’s exile. “This evil lives on in Russia.”
While Kallas is well-regarded abroad for her unassuming and open demeanor, her uncompromising defiance of Russia is not universally shared within the EU. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, for instance, has maintained friendly ties with Moscow even after its invasion of Ukraine.
Kallas’ popularity at home has waned due to a scandal involving her husband’s business operations in Russia, despite her public criticisms of such activities. Additionally, her government’s decision to raise taxes shortly after the 2023 elections and legalize same-sex marriage, a contentious issue in Estonia, has sparked opposition.
Estonian Political Dynasty
Kallas comes from a prominent political family. Her father, Siim Kallas, was the governor of Estonia’s central bank post-independence, established the liberal Reform Party in 1994, and served as both Estonia’s prime minister and as vice president of the European Commission under Jose Manuel Barroso.
Kaja Kallas transitioned from a career as a partner at a Tallinn law firm to politics in 2011, successfully running for both the Estonian and European parliaments on a Reform Party ticket. After leading the Reform Party from 2018, she became Estonia’s first female prime minister in 2021.
Known for her determined approach in implementing policies, Kallas has faced accusations of arrogance from some detractors. She firmly believes in Estonia’s security through its membership in NATO and the European Union. “If Europe is united and strong, Estonia will also be strong,” she told the Estonian parliament in 2022.
As Kallas steps into her new role as the EU’s foreign policy chief, her established principles and rigorous stance on Russia will undoubtedly influence her tenure, even as she navigates the complex dynamics of representing a diverse European Union.