Von der Leyen rallies behind Kallas as EU foreign service faces dismantling push

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has defended the EU’s diplomatic arm and its leadership, as pressure grows from several member states to dismantle the European External Action Service (EEAS) and repatriate its powers to national capitals or EU institutions.

Speaking in Brussels, Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said von der Leyen supported the work of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and her team, stressing that the EEAS remains a central part of the EU’s institutional framework, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"The European External Action Service is part of the institutions that implement EU policies and, therefore, the President lends her support to it, as well as to the work that emanates from the External Action Service," said the Commission spokesperson, adding that the EEAS is a key component of the bloc’s governance structure.

The comments come amid reported discussions among some EU governments, including France and Germany, over possible reforms to the EEAS. According to the Financial Times, options being considered range from integrating its functions more closely into the European Commission, transferring responsibilities to the Council of the EU, or strengthening the role of the High Representative.

Asked about the future of EU foreign policy decision-making, Pinho also reiterated von der Leyen’s support for reforming the bloc’s unanimity rule in certain areas.

"It is something on which the president has already taken a stance," the spokesperson said, arguing that unanimity can allow individual states or small groups to block collective decisions. "in certain areas where unanimity still exists" to prevent a single country from vetoing decisions of the Twenty-Seven.

The debate comes as Kallas faces increasing scrutiny from some member states over the direction of EU foreign policy. Critics have questioned the emphasis on a firm response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while also raising concerns about the EU’s diplomatic visibility in other regions, including the Middle East.

Diplomatic sources, however, say Kallas faces an inherently difficult task, balancing competing national interests while coordinating a unified EU stance in an increasingly unstable international environment.

By Aghakazim Guliyev