Kaja Kallas took office as the European Union’s foreign policy chief in December 2024. Within 18 months, she amassed a list of enemies that includes Russia’s deputy security council chief, a Slovak prime minister, and a former Hungarian leader. Her approach to Ukraine and Russia has made her a target of those who see her stance as too rigid, while others argue her role is nearly impossible to fulfill.
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Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president, called Kallas a “half-witted old biddy” in a December Telegram post. He reserved a harsher insult for her alone, criticizing her for prolonging the war in Ukraine. Medvedev rarely names EU officials directly, but Kallas’s position has drawn consistent fire. She inherited the role from Ursula von der Leyen, who held the post before her.
Robert Fico, Slovakia’s prime minister, has been one of Kallas’s most vocal critics. In January, he told a domestic broadcaster that “we must replace Ms. Kallas,” accusing her of leaving Europe as a bystander. Fico halted Slovak military aid to Ukraine last year, arguing that weakening Russia through war had failed. His ally Viktor Orbán, former Hungary’s prime minister, opposed Kallas’s efforts to unify EU positions on Ukraine.
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Orbán’s government blocked a joint EU statement in January, but Kallas secured support from 26 member states. She later challenged Orbán again by proposing to use Russia’s frozen assets to fund Ukraine. Orbán resigned in March, but Kallas remained in her post.
Kallas has avoided neutrality, declaring the EU would “never be a neutral mediator” between Ukraine and Russia. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova seized on the remark, claiming it proved Brussels had taken a side. Kallas repeated the stance in February, saying Russia had sent “no serious delegation” to peace talks.
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Diplomats who criticize Kallas often admit her job is nearly impossible. EU foreign policy requires unanimous agreement, and a single member state can derail a common position. The High Representative answers to both the Commission and 27 capitals. One diplomat said every holder of the post had failed, a systemic flaw that would likely defeat anyone.