Kaja Kallas: the EU's new chief diplomat shaping the future of European defense

The former Estonian Prime Minister's status as an uncompromising Russia hawk has gone from liability to strength

front shot of Kaja Kallas in a shiny dark-blue button down. she is at a podium and accepting the Henry Kissinger Prize
For Kallas, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been the 'making of her global reputation'
(Image credit: Adam Berry / Getty Images)

Former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is making waves as the European Union's top foreign policy official. At a time of rising tension between the EU and the U.S. and a fortifying bloc of authoritarian states led by Russia, Kallas' role has suddenly taken on even greater importance. Her journey from the obscure leader of a small, embattled democracy to a bulwark against Russian expansionism has placed her front and center in what is now perhaps the global community's most important fault line.

From the USSR to democratic leader

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David Faris

David Faris is an associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of It's Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics. He is a frequent contributor to Informed Comment, and his work has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and Indy Week.