High Representative Kaja Kallas has appointed Kajsa Ollongren as Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), alongside two new deputy secretaries general, in a senior management reshuffle announced on 24 June 2026. Ollongren, a former Dutch Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence who currently serves as EU Special Representative for Human Rights, will take up the post on 1 September 2026. The appointments fill key leadership roles at the EU's diplomatic service, affecting the EEAS's internal coordination, geoeconomic strategy, and security and defence policy.
The EEAS press release, issued by the EEAS Press Team on 24 June 2026, also named Matti Maasikas as Deputy Secretary General for Geoeconomics and Interinstitutional Issues. Maasikas, currently Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia and acting Deputy Secretary-General, has previously served as EU Ambassador to Ukraine and Estonia's Permanent Representative to the EU. He will also assume his duties on 1 September 2026. David Cvach, France's Permanent Representative to NATO and a former Director General for the European Union at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was appointed Deputy Secretary General for Peace, Security and Defence, with a start date to be determined.
The appointments come as the EEAS undergoes organisational adjustments under Kallas, who took office as High Representative in late 2024. The new team will oversee the EEAS's day-to-day operations, its engagement with EU institutions on geoeconomic matters, and the coordination of peace and security initiatives. The nominations are subject to standard administrative procedures within the EEAS and the European Commission.
The appointments strengthen the EEAS's senior leadership with experienced diplomats, potentially improving the EU's coherence in foreign policy and security matters. For EU member states, the presence of officials from the Netherlands, Estonia, and France may influence the balance of national perspectives in EU external action. For EU institutions, the new team could streamline interinstitutional coordination on geoeconomic issues, but the lack of a fixed start date for the security deputy may create temporary uncertainty in defence policy planning. The changes are unlikely to directly affect EU citizens or external partners in the short term, but could shape the EU's diplomatic effectiveness over time.