EU’s Kallas has alienated major member states – FAZ

The Estonian hardliner has burned many key bridges across the bloc, an analysis by the major German newspaper claims

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is facing mounting resistance in key Western European capitals over her ambitious military aid plan for Ukraine, according to an analysis published on Monday in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper. France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal are now joining Hungary in opposing significant new contributions, according the outlet.

Kallas, who took office in December, has struggled to win over skeptical governments. Her proposal to raise EU military support for Ukraine to €40 billion this year – aimed at offsetting dwindling US aid – has met stiff resistance, the newspaper’s political correspondent Thomas Gutschker wrote. Many member states have refused to commit beyond the €15 billion already pledged, with Berlin’s planned €3 billion contribution still awaiting approval. So far, Denmark alone has given more than France, Italy, and Spain combined.

According to the FAZ, Kallas’ efforts to push through the funding have been hampered by political missteps. The paper cited unnamed diplomats as arguing she failed to properly consult key EU nations before reviving the proposal, which was originally introduced by her predecessor, Josep Borrell. Her decision to remove high-ranking officials from Italy and Spain from the European External Action Service has also sparked backlash, with some EU governments reportedly “furious,” the FAZ reported.

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Beyond military aid, Kallas has also weakened her standing in Washington. The article noted that her criticism of President Donald Trump’s Ukraine strategy – dismissing it as a “dirty deal” – led to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceling a scheduled meeting with her during her February visit. No senior US officials met with her during the trip, highlighting her diplomatic isolation. Meanwhile, EU leaders are pushing to be involved in US-Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, fearing they are being sidelined.

Internally, Kallas’ handling of Ukraine policy drew sharp criticism from Berlin, the newspaper added. German officials were angered when on her first day in office she declared, “The European Union wants Ukraine to win this war.” While Eastern European nations share this view, Berlin has stuck to its more cautious official line of supporting Kiev “as long as necessary” without committing to victory as a stated goal.

Additionally, her move to explore confiscating frozen Russian assets in the EU has faltered. Although backed by the Baltic states, the proposal has encountered fierce resistance from Eurozone heavyweights, while the European Central Bank has warned of major financial risks if it is implemented. Faced with legal obstacles, Kallas has now reportedly quietly shelved the initiative.

As EU leaders prepare to discuss her plan again later this week, the FAZ suggested her political survival hinges on securing greater backing from French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. However, expectations are low and insiders are cautioning that significant new commitments are unlikely.

The FAZ concluded that Kallas’ position remains precarious, as she struggles to balance EU unity with her own hardline stance on Russia.

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