Kaja Kallas: Russia Is Afraid Of Democratic Belarus

• 12.11.2024, 20:11

The new head of European diplomacy is ready to work with the Belarusian opposition.

Former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who will soon take up the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs post, has declared her readiness to cooperate with Belarusian pro-democracy forces, Charter97.org correspondent in Brussels reports.

“We will continue to discuss what else can be done to support the pro-democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people,” the politician said, answering a question from the head of the delegation to Belarus, Polish MEP Małgorzata Gosiewska.

“It is very worrying that under this regime there are 1,300 political prisoners [officially recognized as human rights activists - Ed.], so we must work together with the Belarusian opposition. This, however, is incredibly difficult in the current geopolitical situation: Belarus, I think, is very much influenced by what is happening in Russia …>, and they [Russia] are afraid of the expansion of the democratic space in Belarus,” Kaja Kallas noted at the hearings in the European Parliament on the approval of her candidacy for the role of the EU’s head of diplomacy.

On September 17, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen approved the candidacy of former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for the post of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Kallas headed the Estonian government from January 2021 to July 2024. She was the first woman to hold this post. The politician is known for her strong statements in support of Ukraine.