Former Dutch defence minister to lead EU diplomatic service

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June 24, 2026 12:07 PM EDT

Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren speaks during an interview in Kyiv amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, March 20, 2024. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

BRUSSELS, June 24 (Reuters) - ‌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.

(Reporting by Lili Bayer and Andrew Gray; Editing by Mark ‌Porter)


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