Kaja Kallas on the Fight for Liberty

Kaja Kallas is an Estonian politician and diplomat. She was the first female prime minister of Estonia, a role she held from 2021 until 2024, when she resigned in advance of her appointment as High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Since 2024, she has served in that role as well as Vice-President of the European Commission in the second von der Leyen Commission. She is a well-known defender of the former captive nations of Russian subjugation and notably today Ukraine. Here is a roundup of her memorable and morally clear quotes that capture her persistent advocate voice for Ukrainian victory and European security:

On the True Cost of Freedom

"Freedom has a price, but unfreedom is much more expensive."

On Peace vs. Appeasement

"Peace cannot be the ultimate goal if it means accepting aggression and occupation. A peace that surrenders freedom is not peace at all."

On War Fatigue

"Fatigue is a luxury we cannot afford. Ukrainians fighting on the frontline do not have the privilege of getting tired, so neither do we."

On the Price of Energy vs. Liberty

"Gas might be expensive, but freedom is priceless. It’s not a question of 'if' Russia will attack again if they are not stopped, but 'when'."

On Learning from History

"We must not repeat the mistakes of the past. Appeasement has never appeased an aggressor—it only invites further violence."

On Justice and Accountability

"Impunity breeds further crimes. There can be no lasting peace without justice and accountability for war crimes and the crime of aggression."

On Collective European Security

"If Russia wins in Ukraine, the threat to European security will not end—it will multiply. Supporting Ukraine is not charity; it is an investment in our own collective defense."

On Gray Zones in Europe

"Gray zones in European security breed instability and tempt aggressors. The only real security guarantee for Europe is strong unity and NATO."

On Hesitation in Military Aid

"Hesitation costs lives. Every day of delay in providing weapons to Ukraine extends the war and increases the suffering."

On the Rules-Based International Order

"Russia’s goal is not just territorial expansion; it is to dismantle the international rules-based order that keeps us all safe."

On Ukraine Defending European Values

"Ukraine is not just fighting for its own sovereignty; it is standing on the front line of defending European values and democratic principles."

On Deterrence

"Strength does not provoke an aggressor—weakness does. To secure peace, we must show unwavering strength and determination."

On Victory

 “For Ukraine’s victory we need courage, which means also the courage to take risks. The secret to happiness is freedom… and the secret to freedom is courage' — as said by Thucydides and demonstrated by Ukrainians.”

On Believing the Aggressor

“In the free world, principles were exchanged for cash, truth for gas... We should not believe in the goodwill of an outright aggressor and a cold-blooded war criminal.”

On Fighting for Free World

 “The fight that Ukraine is having is not only about Ukraine's sovereignty, but it's much, much broader. It's about freedom of the free world, really. It is about the world where international law applies and the world where might does not make right.”

On Ukrainian Blood

“Russia’s aggression inevitably carries a cost to our own societies — but it is a cost we pay in euros, and Ukrainians in blood.”