Apart from Estonian, Kallas patrilineally also has some distant Latvian andGerman ancestry, as discovered by journalists researching her father's family roots after his premiership.[6][7]
From 1996 to 1997, Kallas worked as advisor to the director ofVanemuine Theatre inTartu.[11] Kallas became a member of theEstonian Bar Association in 1999, and an attorney-at-law in 2002. While training inEuropean law, she briefly worked as a lawyer at the corporate law firms Courtois Lebel in Paris (March–April 2001) and Hannes Snellmann in Helsinki (October 2003).[11][12] She became a partner in the law firms Tark & Co andLuiga Mody Hääl Borenius, where she headed the competition law department from 2008 to 2011.[11] Kallas also worked as an executive coach at theEstonian Business School. In 2011, she was placed on inactive status as a member of the Estonian Bar Association.[13]
Between 2003 and 2010, Kallas was a council member of several Estonian private and public limited companies: LHV-Seesam Varahaldus, Pakri Tuulepark, Viru-Nigula Tuulepark, Hiiumaa Offshore Tuulepark, Paldiski Tuulepark, Tooma Tuulepark, Roheline Ring Tuulepargid, Biofond and 4E Tehnoinvest. In 2008, Kallas was a board member ofNelja Energia.[11]
From 2009 to 2010, Kallas was a board member of the Estonian Wind Power Association.[11]
Political career
Member of the Estonian Parliament (2011–2014)
In 2010, Kallas joined theEstonian Reform Party. In the 2011 parliamentary elections she won a seat in the Riigikogu (for theHarju County andRapla County constituency) receiving 7,157 votes. She was a member of the 12th Parliament of Estonia and chaired the Economic Affairs Committee from 2011 to 2014.[13]
During her period in Parliament, Kallas worked on theDigital Single Market strategy, energy, and consumer policies, and relations with Ukraine. In particular, she defended the rights of small and medium-sized enterprises, maintaining that borders in the digital world hinder the emergence of innovative companies. She is a proponent of innovation and frequently emphasises that regulations cannot and must not hinder the technological revolution.[1]
Kallas served asrapporteur for six reports: opinion on theePrivacy Regulation,[16] civil law rules on robotics,[17] on the Annual report on EU Competition Policy,[18] and on Delivering a New Deal for Energy Consumers,[19] legislation on Custom infringements and sanctions,[20] and the own-initiative report on the Digital Single Market.[21] During her time in Parliament, she was also nominated as a European Young Leader (EYL40).[22] At the end of her term, she was cited byPolitico as one of the 40 most influentialMEPs, and one of the most powerful women in Brussels, who was highlighted for her understanding of technological issues.[23][24][25]
In November 2018, Kallas published her memoirMEP: 4 aastat Euroopa Parlamendis ('MEP: Four Years in the European Parliament'), in which she described her life as an MEP.[26]
Return to national politics (2017–2020)
On 13 December 2017, the Reform Party leaderHanno Pevkur announced that he would no longer run for the party leadership in January 2018, and suggested that Kallas should run instead.[27] After considering the offer, Kallas announced on 15 December 2017 that she would accept the invitation to run in the leadership election.[28] Kallas won the leadership election held on 14 April 2018 and became the first female leader of a major political party in Estonia.[29]
In the2019 Estonian parliamentary election on 3 March, the Reform Party led by Kallas received about 29% of the vote, with the rulingEstonian Centre Party taking 23%.[30] The Centre Party managed to formJüri Ratas' second cabinet with the conservativeIsamaa party and the far-rightEKRE, leaving the Reform Party out of power.[31] On 14 November 2020, Kallas was re-elected as leader of the Reform Party at a Reform Party Assembly.[32]
Prime Minister of Estonia (2021–2024)
Kaja Kallas andSanna Marin, then prime minister of Finland, in Helsinki, 2021
In June 2021, Kallas confronted German ChancellorAngela Merkel at aEuropean Council meeting opposing Merkel's plan to invite Russia's PresidentVladimir Putin to a summit of European leaders.[35] Her opposition surprised other gathered leaders but successfully contributed to encouraging fellow leaders to force Merkel not to invite Putin.[35] Later in the year Kallas stated that Russian military pressure should not influence the decision of which countries can join theEuropean Union orNATO, and she did not like U.S.President Biden's outreach to Putin.[36]
During the latter half of 2021, theglobal energy crisis disrupted the Estonian economy; businesses were forced to temporarily shut down, while the public requested government aid to pay for the high electricity and heating prices.[37] Kallas initially resisted calls for government aid, suggesting that the government should search for long-term solutions rather than handing out benefits, and that afree market should not require consistent government intervention to keep people afloat.[38] Theenergy crisis nearly caused the collapse of the coalition government.[39] Kallas observed in a speech that the high cost of natural gas coupled with theRussian invasion of Ukraine was driving the increase in energy prices, and that thegreen energy measures Estonia adopted limited what the government could do to handle the crisis.[40] In January 2022, Kallas announced a 245 million euro plan to reduce the cost of energy from September 2021 to March 2022.[40] The energy crisis impacted her popularity in Estonia.[41]
Kallas met with U.S. secretary of stateAntony Blinken in Tallinn, 2022.
On the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in January 2022, Kallas said that theNord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline was "a geopolitical project not an economic one" and urged that the pipeline be terminated. She also stated that Europe's dependence on Russian natural gas was a significant political problem.[42] In January 2022, Kallas committed Estonia to donatinghowitzers to Ukraine to assist in its defence against a possible Russian invasion, pending German approval as the howitzers were originally purchased from Germany.[43] When Germany delayed in giving an answer, Estonia sent American-madeJavelin anti-tank missiles instead in the first weeks of February 2022.[44] Following Russia's recognition of theDonetsk andLuhansk people's republics, Kallas demanded that the European Union impose sanctions on Russia.[45] Kallas was praised domestically for her leadership during the Russia-Ukraine crisis.[46] Subsequently, her approval rating soared, making her Estonia's most popular politician.[47]
After theRussian invasion of Ukraine started on 24 February 2022, Estonia along with other allies triggeredArticle 4 of NATO.[48] Kallas pledged to support Ukraine with political andmateriel support.[49] By April 2022, 0.8% of Estonia's GDP in military equipment had been handed over to Ukraine. Kallas has been praised both in Estonia and internationally as a leading pro-Ukrainian voice in the war, with theNew Statesman calling her "Europe's New Iron Lady".[50] She also strongly supported theadmission of Ukraine to the European Union, saying that there was "a moral duty" to do so.[51] In April 2022, she warned against "peace at any price" with Russia.[52]
Kallas met with Spanish Prime MinisterPedro Sánchez in Brussels, 2022.
On 3 June 2022, Kallas dismissed all Centre Party ministers,[53] after the Centre Party had sided with the opposition to vote down the preschool education bill, that would have made teaching Estonian language mandatory in preschool.[54] Kallas symbolically resigned on 14 July 2022 to forma new coalition[55][56] with theSocial Democratic Party andIsamaa.[57]
As prime minister, Kallas attracted international attention as a leader in efforts to support Ukraine during the Russian invasion, delivering more military equipment to Ukraine as a proportion of GDP per capita than any other country in the world.[58] In September 2022, in the context of a plan by three other bordering nations to restrict Russian tourists, she said: "Travel to the European Union is a privilege, not a human right." She added that it was "unacceptable that citizens of the aggressor state are able to freely travel in the EU, whilst at the same time people in Ukraine are being tortured and murdered."[59] She rejected anypeace agreement that would cede part of Ukrainian territory to Russia.[60]
In September 2022, Kallas announced that Estonia would notgrant asylum to Russians fleeingwar mobilization, saying that "Every citizen is responsible for the actions of their state, and citizens of Russia are no exception. Therefore, we do not give asylum to Russian men who flee their country. They should oppose the war."[61]
Kallas is atransatlanticist.[62] In February 2023, Kallas was mentioned as a possible candidate to replaceNATO Secretary-GeneralJens Stoltenberg following his expected retirement that same year.[63][64] She never became an official candidate for the NATO position and eventually supported outgoing Dutch Prime MinisterMark Rutte who was appointed NATO Secretary General in 2024.[65][66][67]
She supported the legislation to remove Soviet-era monuments that glorified the Soviet Union and the Soviet invasion of Estonia during World War II, with the legislation text stating that "the publicly visible part of a building, as well as a publicly displayed monument, sculpture, memorial and other such facilities, must not incite hatred, or support or justify the activities of an occupation regime, or an act of aggression, genocide, crime against humanity or a war crime."[79][80]
Kallas condemnedHamas' actions during theGaza war and expressed her support toIsrael and its right to self-defence, but added that Israel "must do so in a way that spares innocent lives and adheres to the norms of international law." She said the conflict in the Middle East "is useful to those seeking to distract the free world from its support for Ukraine."[81]
Husband's business scandal
In August 2023, the media reported that Kallas's husband, Arvo Hallik, had a 24.9% share in the transportation company Stark Logistics, which had continued to transport raw materials to Russia following theRussian invasion of Ukraine, despite Kallas having previously called for Estonian companies to cease operations in Russia.[82][83][84][85][86] The company had generated approximately €1.5 million in revenue from providing a transport service to a company operating in Russia since the beginning of the invasion.[87]
Kallas later admitted to her husband's share in the company, but denied wrongdoing on the part of herself or her husband and stated that the company's business in Russia was to assist an Estonian client, identified by the Estonian media as the company Metaprint, end its production in Russia, adding that "not a single euro, dollar orruble" was spent in Russia as part of the activity.[88][89][86] Media reported that Kallas had provided an undeclared €350,000 loan to her husband shortly after visiting Metaprint as prime minister in January 2022.[90][91] Stark Logistics seconded Kallas's claim that the company's dealings in Russia were to assist an Estonian client end their production in the country, and that their work did not contribute to the Russian economy in any way nor did it violate Estonian law, as Kallas's government had prohibited only state-owned companies from working with Russia.[88][84] The Estonian media has separately reported that Metaprint sold €17 million worth of goods to Russia between the start of the invasion in February 2022 and November 2022.[86][92][93] Hallik's business partner Martti Lemendik later admitted in the Estonian media that the company had sold over $32 million in goods on the Russian market between February 2022 and August 2023.[94] The company also collaborated with sanctioned individuals, such as Polish-sanctionedSergei Kolesnikov.[95][96] Hallik later stated that he would sell his shares in Stark Logistics.[87]
During the scandal prime minister Kallas was intensely criticised by leaders of the opposition, and thePresident of EstoniaAlar Karis also stated his worry for seeing "the credibility of the Estonian state called into question, in its relations with its allies".[97][98] Two public opinion polls conducted at the time showed that 57% and 69% of respondents, respectively, thought Kallas should resign due to the scandal.[99][87] Kallas continued to refuse to resign in September 2023, calling the controversy a "witch-hunt" by political opponents.[100]
Russian arrest warrant
On 13 February 2024, theGovernment of Russia issued a statement that Kallas had been put on theRussian interior ministry's list of wanted criminals. The criminal charges against her are reportedly related to the removal of Soviet-era World War II monuments in Estonia.[101] Kallas is the first head of government known to be added to the register by Russian authorities.[102] Kallas dismissed the warrant as a "scare tactic" by Russia.[103]
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (2024–present)
On 1 December 2024, her first day in office as High Representative, Kallas visited Ukraine along with European Council PresidentAntonio Costa and Enlargement CommissionerMarta Kos.[108] Kallas expressed strong support for a Ukrainian victory, stating that "the European Union wants Ukraine to win this war".[108] The trip was criticized by Slovak Prime MinisterRobert Fico, who stated, without further elaboration, that Kallas and Costa had made statements that had not been agreed upon by EU bodies.[109][110]
On her first day in office, Kallas also warned theGeorgian government not to use violence to suppress theongoing protests against the ruling party's decision to postponeEU accession talks, threatening possible sanctions.[111]
In December 2024, she welcomed thefall of the Assad regime, saying that "Syria shows that Russia is not invincible. We should not underestimate our own power."[112]
Kallas met with Philippine PresidentBongbong Marcos in Manila, 2025.
On 11 February 2025, Kallas condemnedChina in relation to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying that "Without China's support, Russia would not be able to continue its military aggression with the same force." She also added "China is the largest provider of dual-use goods and sensitive items that sustain Russia's military-industrial base and that are found on the battlefield in Ukraine."[115]
On 13 February 2025, she criticized a call between US PresidentDonald Trump and Russian PresidentVladimir Putin as an "appeasement" towards Russia.[116] On 20 February 2025, Kallas expressed doubts about Donald Trump's attempts tonegotiate a peace deal in the Russia-Ukraine war, warning that "if we are giving everything on the plate to the aggressor, it sends a signal to all the aggressors in the world that you can do this".[117]
On 24 February 2025, Kallas announced that the EU liftedsanctions against Syria in some key sectors, such as energy, transport, and banking.[121]
In a 28 FebruaryFace the Nation interview in Washington, Kallas said the EU and the Trump administration had already drafted a resolution "co-sponsoring together with the United States to support Ukraine, and it was a surprise to us that the U.S. suddenly changed the position...but when they met the Russians something happened after that, because the behavior changed."[122] Kallas was in Washington for a planned meeting withMarco Rubio,United States Secretary of State, to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war. Rubio's office cancelled the meeting after she had already arrived in Washington. AEuropean Commission spokesperson said the cancelation was "due to scheduling issues", but another EU official questioned this explanation.[123]
Kallas with Chinese Foreign MinisterWang Yi, 2 July 2025
After the President of the United States,Donald Trump, and his Vice President, had a confrontation with the President of UkraineVolodymyr Zelenskyy on 28 February 2025 in theOval Office, Kallas concluded on social media: "Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader".[124][125]
On 11 March 2025, she condemned "in the strongest terms" the attacks by pro-Assad militias on Syrian government forces duringclashes in western Syria and "welcomed" Syrian PresidentAhmed al-Sharaa's commitment to launch an investigation into themassacres of Alawite civilians by pro-government Islamist fighters.[126]
On 24 March 2025, in the midst ofIsraeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, Kallas visited Israel. She stated that "resuming negotiations is the only way to put an end to the suffering on both sides" and warned that "violence feeds more violence."[127]
In a meeting with Kallas in July 2025, Chinese Foreign MinisterWang Yi stated that China does not want Russia to lose the war in Ukraine.[128] European diplomats said China is concerned that the United States would focus more on Asia once the conflict in Europe is over.[129][130]
Protest in Slovenia against the alleged complicity of Kallas and other EU politicians in theGaza genocide, 1 September 2025
On 15 July 2025, Kallas and the foreign ministers of the EU member states decided not to take any action against Israel over allegedIsraeli war crimes in the Gaza war andsettler violence in theWest Bank. The proposed sanctions against Israel included suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement, suspending visa-free travel, or blocking imports from Israeli settlements.[131][132] Israel considered the EU's decision not to impose sanctions on Israel as a diplomatic victory.[133] UN Special RapporteurFrancesca Albanese said that EU officials such as Kaja Kallas were complicit in Israeli war crimes in Gaza.[134]
In July 2025, Kallas threatenedGeorgia under theGeorgian Dream government with the suspension of visa liberalisation, suspension of theEU-Georgia Association Agreement, and sanctions.[135] During a panel discussion at the September 2025 conference of theEuropean Union Institute for Security Studies, Kallas remarked, "Russia was [recently] addressing China like, Russia and China, we fought in the Second World War, we won the Second World War, we won the Nazis. And I was, OK, that is something new."[136] In a speech to the conference, the same day, she remarked that "Europe is engaged in a battle for freedom and democracy" and "must build its geopolitical power."[137]
In September 2025, Kallas voiced support for closer trade and security relations between theEU and India, but criticized India's cooperationwith Russia, including India's participation in theZapad 2025 military exercise. She said: "Whether it's possible to completely decouple India from Russia, considering their history as well, I don't think we have illusions regarding this."[138]
Personal life
From 2002 to 2006, Kallas was married toRoomet Leiger [et]. She lived together with formerfinance minister and businessmanTaavi Veskimägi. Kallas and Veskimägi have one son; they separated in 2014.[139] In 2018, she married Arvo Hallik, a banker and investor. Hallik has two children from a previous relationship.[140][141][142]
Apart from her nativeEstonian, Kallas is fluent in English, Finnish, Russian and French.[143]
Since 2020, Kallas has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Friends of Europe.[155] Additionally, she is a member of theEuropean Council on Foreign Relations,[156] an advisory board member of theWomen Economic Forum,[157] and a patron of the Model European Union Tallinn.[158][non-primary source needed] She is also a mentor of theEuropean Liberal Youth, a member of the European Young Leaders, a MEP ambassor of Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, a member of the MEP Library Lovers Group, a political member of the European Internet Forum, a member of the extended board of the European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources, a member of theGlobal Young Leaders, a member of the Women Political Leaders, and a MEP ambassador of the European Entrepreneurship Education Network.[159]
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