The European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas finally got U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the phone Tuesday after POLITICO reported Rubio skipped a meeting with foreign ministers, leading to fears Brussels was being frozen out.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas pushed back on Wednesday against Donald Trump for saying that Europe lagged behind the U.S. in aid for Ukraine, and insisted the bloc must have a seat at the table when the time comes for peace talks.

The EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Wednesday that the bloc must heed US President Donald Trump's demand to spend more on defence, as she issued a stark warning over the threat from Russia.

U.S. President Donald Trump's call for the European Union to spend more on its own defense should be taken seriously, according to EU foreign policy chief and former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the Ukraine war, Iran and China on Tuesday in their first phone call since the Trump administration took office on Jan.

President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Commerce Department, Howard Lutnick, told senators the argument that tariffs cause inflation is "nonsense" during a confirmation hearing.

Russia's war on Ukraine, China, the Middle East and defence spending were the main topics of the first phone call between Kaja Kallas and Marco Rubio. View on euronews

The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has stressed the need for more investment in defense, while keeping in mind that the bloc's funds still constitute taxpayer money.

After US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was sworn in last week, he made a flurry of calls to key allies which gave some indication as to where the second Donald Trump administration's priorities lie.

Top US diplomat also welcomes EU’s extension of sanctions against Russia and highlights challenges posed by China, says State Department - Anadolu Ajansı

Officials said Ms Kallas and Mr Rubio agreed on the need to maintain "maximum pressure on Moscow" over it's war on Ukraine. Read more at straitstimes.com.