Josep Borrell’s successor
Josep Borrell, the Spanish head of European foreign policy, will hand over his position to Kaja Kallas, the former Prime Minister of Estonia, in less than 3 months. What do we know about Ms. Kallas’ personal views on Iran, Israel, Russia, and China?
Kallas, 47, is a liberal politician, while Mr. Borrell, a 77-year-old veteran socialist, fundamentally different in their approach. Many analysts believe that the EU’s foreign policy will be pursued more swiftly from the beginning of December 2024, but that’s not the whole story.
Kallas, who started her term as the first female Prime Minister of Estonia in 2021, was one of the first EU leaders to sound the alarm about Vladimir Putin’s expansionist plans.
She has repeatedly warned European leaders, especially those in the East, about falling into the trap of having good trade relations with Russia.
Therefore, a group of experts believe that Ms. Kalas is a suitable option for guiding the European Union’s foreign policy, especially in times when the Union’s focus will be on strengthening its defense capabilities against Russia. It seems that Kalas’s main priority as the EU’s senior diplomat will be to ensure European readiness to prevent future Russian advances.
She is the presenter of a proposed plan for the EU to provide loans to member countries to strengthen their defense capabilities, a plan that, despite French support, faces opposition from Germany. However, Kalas will also face other major challenges in the EU’s foreign policy arena, such as pursuing the EU’s new approach towards China and strengthening the EU’s mediating role in dealing with the challenges of Iran and the Middle East crisis centered around Israel.
The former Prime Minister of Estonia does not have a special stance towards the recent approach of the European Union towards Iran. He has criticized this country multiple times for supporting Russia during the invasion of Ukraine and has supported imposing sanctions against it. Although he personally advocates for a two-state solution to the current crisis in Palestinian territories, he is seen as a serious supporter of Israel, criticizing Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Israeli soil and expressing satisfaction with Western countries’ military support to intercept missiles and drones fired towards Israel.
He has always followed the European Union’s policy of strong support for Israel’s right to self-defense and at the same time has called for respect for international humanitarian laws in Gaza. Kaljulaid has consistently condemned the terrorist attacks of Hamas. He is also among those EU leaders who are critical of China for its alignment with Russia and supports the EU’s initiative to establish a new balance in political and economic relations with China.
The former Prime Minister of Estonia, as a feminist politician, has repeatedly emphasized the importance of Iranian and Afghan women and girls enjoying fundamental freedoms and has called for intensified international efforts in this regard. She is criticized by her opponents for lacking the necessary experience in political relations with Eastern European countries and not having the capability to create the necessary interaction in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
According to them, Josep Borrell, especially regarding the issue of Israel and Palestinians, played a very active role based on a personal belief and sought to increase pressure on Israel. In his latest efforts, he also mentioned the European Union’s willingness to regain control of the Gaza and Egypt borders.
Borrell also believes in establishing a serious balance based on his socialist approach between the conflicting demands of the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran and has resisted to the extent possible the efforts of European hardliners against Iran.
MEP Owen Inger, a representative of the Socialist Party in the European Parliament, told Euronews that he is somewhat concerned that Gaza war might not be a top priority for Josep Borrell, as he hasn’t been very involved in these issues. However, MEP Mika Altola, a centrist representative in the European Parliament, pointed out in an interview with Euronews that Estonia under Borrell’s leadership has always had a proactive approach towards Gaza issues.
While some praise Borrell’s efforts to balance the conflicting positions of EU member states in various disputes, others believe that during Josep Borrell’s term, the credibility of the European Union, especially in the Middle East, has been undermined.
In such circumstances, it is expected that Borrell will not only bridge the existing gap between EU member states on issues such as military support for Ukraine, but also propose solutions to the Israel-Palestine conflict to enhance the EU’s position in resolving international disputes as a better global power than during Josep Borrell’s five-year term.
