Kremlin: Estonian PM and EU FM nominee a 'rabid Russophobe'
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The newly elected European Parliament will have to approve Kallas' candidacy when it convenes for the first time next month.
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Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas speaks during a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels, early Friday, June 28, 2024. (AP)
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has called out Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who is now nominated to lead the EU’s foreign policy, as famous for having a hostile attitude towards Russia.
The newly elected European Parliament will have to approve Kallas' candidacy when it convenes for the first time next month.
Talking to reporters, Peskov said, “Kallas is well known [in Russia] for her absolutely uncompromising and sometimes even rabid Russophobic statements,” adding that Ursula von der Leyen - nominated for a third term as the president of the European Commission - “is not a proponent of normalization of relations between the EU and Russia.”
“That is what we know her for and that is how we remember her. In this sense, nothing has changed,” Peskov noted.
The policies supported by Kallas, according to several Russian officials, will only cause things to get worse. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said earlier this week that Kallas would "increase the level of insanity" in Brussels.
Calling for more sanctions on Russia
Kallas is a steadfast advocate for tighter sanctions against Russia and increased military support for Ukraine. Under her direction, Estonia was the first nation in the EU to adopt a plan to seize assets that Russia had frozen and use them as "compensation" for Kiev.
Back in 2022, in an op-ed published in The New York Times, Kallas called for “a long-term policy of smart containment” of Russia and unwavering support for Ukraine, sanctions on Russian oil and gas exports, and an increase of military spending among EU members.
Another new security agreement that will give Ukraine more strength.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 27, 2024
In Brussels, Estonia’s Prime Minister @kajakallas and I signed an agreement on security cooperation and long-term support between our countries.
The agreement covers cooperation in the supply of arms and… pic.twitter.com/0jmfNpS0b1
This comes after European Union leaders meeting in Brussels nominated von der Leyen yesterday for a second term as head of the European Commission.
Kallas has been selected as the EU's new foreign policy chief, replacing Spain's Josep Borrell following a late-night agreement on top leadership positions. Despite opposition from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa was appointed to lead the European Council.
The vote, expected to be close following a recent increase in support for far-right parties in this month's elections, is scheduled for July.
During the summit, EU leaders also finalized a security agreement with Ukraine and discussed strategies to strengthen the bloc's defenses against Russia, while setting their strategic priorities for the next five years.
