Former Dutch defence minister to lead EU diplomatic service

BRUSSELS, June 24 – European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Wednesday named a former Dutch defence minister and France’s ambassador to NATO to top posts in the EU diplomatic service as the bloc seeks to strengthen its security.

• Kajsa Ollongren, who served as Dutch defence minister from 2022-2024 and is currently a senior EU human rights official, will become secretary-general, the top civil servant, at the European External Action Service (EEAS) on September 1, Kallas said.

• Kallas also announced that David Cvach, France’s NATO envoy since 2024, will take over as the service’s top official for defence and security.

• The appointments reflect the bloc’s current focus on boosting European defence, triggered by Russia’s war in Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to reduce Washington’s commitments to NATO.

• An EU official said the appointments would strengthen EU cooperation with NATO, whose Secretary General Mark Rutte was Dutch prime minister when Ollongren was defence minister.

• The moves come as the EU debates a possible revamp of its diplomatic efforts amid widespread criticism that its response to crises such as the war in Gaza have been too slow and disjointed, beset by differences between member countries and among EU institutions. REUTERS