The European External Action Service (EEAS) has abruptly aborted the launch of a high-level advisory group on European defense, dealing a fresh political blow to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The initiative, which was designed to identify strategic investment gaps and bolster the bloc's security capabilities, was cancelled at the last minute on Sunday following intense pushback from several European capitals.
Just days before the sudden cancellation, Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, had enthusiastically promoted the project. She stated that the initiative was designed to have some of the brightest minds on security and defense come together and really provide out-of-the-box solutions. However, the plan fell apart before it could begin. An EU official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the reversal, stating that they decided not to proceed with the initiative because some member states felt it was not the right path to pursue at this moment.
Italy spearheaded the opposition to the expert panel, registering a firm rejection of the lineup. The primary source of Rome's anger was the inclusion of Roberta Pinotti, a former Italian defense minister who served under the centre-left administrations of Matteo Renzi and Paolo Gentiloni. Because Pinotti represents a political faction opposite to that of the current Italian executive, her appointment was viewed as highly problematic, particularly by supporters of current Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto.
The resistance was not limited to Italy. France and several other European governments also lodged formal objections to the advisory group. These nations complained that the initiative had completely bypassed ministerial-level discussions, leaving most EU capitals entirely blindsided by the announcement. Facing a coordinated wave of pressure, the EEAS ultimately chose to scrap the project entirely.
The diplomatic fallout has sparked intense frustration within Brussels. While the EEAS argued that the advisory nature of the group meant it did not require representation from every single EU member state—making former political and military officials the logical choices—the strategy backfired on multiple fronts. Countries with representatives on the panel objected to the specific individuals selected, while those excluded resented being left without a voice. Three separate EU officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the situation, described the debacle in harsh terms, calling it mismanagement, unfortunate, and a f***-up.
The cancellation comes at a critical juncture for European security. The EEAS had intended for the expert group to inject a sense of urgency into Europe's defense preparedness, aiming to address critical capability gaps and establish a clear strategic direction ahead of the Munich Security Conference in February. This timeline was considered crucial as the United States government prepares to conduct its troop review by the end of the year. One EU diplomat lamented the timing, noting that while everyone agrees about the urgency of the topic, the overall choreography was unfortunate.
The incident highlights ongoing criticisms regarding the efficiency of the EEAS and Kallas's leadership style. Critics argue that the diplomatic service frequently struggles with operational efficiency, yet the requirement to constantly consult national capitals on minor expert appointments hampers swift action. A second diplomat suggested that Kallas's background as a former prime minister of Estonia may be affecting her approach, stating that she is underestimating how much member states want to be consulted on foreign policy matters, and adding that the situation demonstrates how hypersensitive member states are regarding established procedures.
This procedural misstep occurs as Kallas faces broader challenges to her authority from both Brussels and major European capitals. She has repeatedly clashed with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over control of the bloc's foreign policy direction. Von der Leyen has actively sought to shape a geopolitical Commission, occasionally testing her own boundaries on international matters, with EU relations with Israel serving as a primary point of friction.
Following an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Ireland last week, Kallas defended the existing institutional balance against proposals to centralize foreign policy under the Commission. She warned that such a shift would strip smaller member states of their influence, stating that if everything is moved to the Commission, then especially the small member states lose control of the foreign policy. She emphasized that the member states were clear that they do not want to lose the steering wheel of the foreign policy. A third diplomat, representing a small country skeptical of centralizing reforms, stated on condition of anonymity that member states want to see the EEAS as a service for them, not as an institution with its own mind that takes initiatives that were not previously discussed.
This is not the first instance where Kallas has moved forward without securing the necessary backing from member states. Last year, she proposed a €40 billion military assistance package for Ukraine, which was ultimately rejected by EU leaders. She has also been prone to diplomatic controversies. In May, Kallas claimed that the United States had evacuated its embassy in Kyiv due to an imminent Russian threat, an assertion that Washington promptly disputed. That same month, she drew criticism for remarks that appeared to compare China to a disease.
More recently, in June, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar severed all contact with Kallas following media reports that she had privately compared Israel to apartheid-era South Africa, prompting mixed reactions across European capitals. Kallas has also faced scrutiny for her aggressive stance on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's war effort, as well as her strained relationship with the U.S. administration. With major member states and an increasingly centralized Commission questioning the current foreign policy setup, further missteps could severely damage Kallas's standing. A fourth EU diplomat summarized the growing discontent, warning that there is overall dissatisfaction with how Kallas is handling issues like this.
