Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas steps down as the leader of the Baltic country to become the foreign policy chief of the European Union later this year.
Kallas, Estonia’s first female prime minister, handed in her formal resignation to President Alar Karis during a brief meeting at the Presidential Palace in the capital, Tallinn, on Monday.
Estonia under Kallas has been one of Europe’s most vocal backers of Ukraine following the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
But she is considered largely untested on foreign affairs matters farther from home, including in the Middle East. She has voiced support for Israel’s right to defend itself in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, but has also decried the humanitarian situation in Gaza since Israel’s offensive in the Strip.
She will replace Josep Borrell, whose tenure was marked by outspoken criticism of Israel.
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, July 15, 2024
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