EU nominates Russia hawk for next top diplomat

Estonian PM Kaja Kallas has vowed to strengthen the bloc’s unity

The EU has officially nominated Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to replace Josep Borrell as the bloc’s top diplomat. Kallas is known for her hawkish position on Russia and has been one of the most outpoken champions of tougher sanctions on Moscow.

The EU leaders also approved Ursula von der Leyen’s third five-year term as the president of the European Commission, and backed the former foreign minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa, as the new president of the European Council.

Euronews cited two sources as saying that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voted against Kallas’ candidacy, while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban abstained.

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