POLITICO goes into more detail about the European party group musical chairs which likely gives Renew Europe, which MEPs from Kallas' home party, Reform, sit with, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy position.

POLITICO reports that three separate French officials who have direct knowledge of the talks on the future representative, who will replace Spain's Josep Borrell once his term ends, all stated that President Emmanuel Macron's office has been eyeing Kallas for the job.

An aide from Renew said: "There's a strong understanding between Macron and Kallas; she's well-liked, and they hold similar points of view.

The French leader has for instance energetically backed Kallas' proposal to create a defense industry fund, POLITICO goes on.

"She's clearly seen as a strong personality of the Renew group. She's a strong voice who has an impact beyond her country," the official added, though noted that Macron is keeping his options open.

Meanwhile a source who the publication described as a senior Eastern European official, also said confirmation had come from Estonian counterparts about Macron's preference for Kallas. "They said Macron gave his nod early this year," the source went on.

Kallas, an MEP 2014-2019 and Estonian prime minister since early 2021, has frequently met with Macron, whose presidency last month entered its eighth year.

Most recently, the Estonian leader was in Paris in May, when she praised Macron's speech on the future of Europe in suitably Estonian terms, describing it (link in French) as "very, very good," and also in February this year, for a conference on Ukraine aid.

Despite the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy's grand-sounding title, critics say the job involves little power in practice, and much more responsibility lies with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – who again Kallas has cozy relations with.

Not everyone in the Brussels sphere backs her for the high representative post as enthusiastically, however, POLITICO reports.

Some of the westernmost EU member states' leaderships do not go all in with Kallas' rhetoric on Russia, and that of other leaders from all three Baltic states, and fear that Kallas may be too focused on Estonia's eastern neighbor, to the expense of the rest of the world.

One diplomatic source from southern Europe told POLITICO "We need someone who talks also about Africa, or South America, and not just about Russia."

Nonetheless, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine now in its third year – or eleventh year if taking the annexation of Crimea as a starting point – the post is an attractive one for political heavyweights from the larger countries, and from smaller nations too.

The fact that this time it could well go to a smaller country is seen as a positive development by many diplomats since bigger states usually also have bigger agendas, POLITICO says.

The post is also a sinecure for those anxious to prolong their domestic political careers.

The high representative of the Union for foreign affairs and security policy and vice president of the European Commission chairs regular meetings of the EU's 27 foreign, defense and development ministers, and represents the EU at G7 and G20 ministerial meetings.

Departing position holder Borrell declined to be drawn on who his successor might be, when quizzed on this earlier this month.

Other names linked with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy position which appear in the POLITICO piece are: Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, a former prime minister from the same country Sophie Wilmès, Luxembourg's foreign minister, Xavier Bettel, Radek Sikorski – another figure from the CEE region as he is Poland's current foreign minister, and former Taoiseach Micheál Martin of Ireland.

The process for appointing top level EU posts including Estonia's commissioner begins later on this year and after the current European Parliament elections.

Another position Kallas' name has been linked with in the media is a planned new commissioner for defense.

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