EU's Kallas, U.S.'s Rubio discuss Ukraine in first phone call

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. 20.

The call comes amid heightened European concerns about what the new administration, with its "America First" approach, will mean for transatlantic ties in defence and security, the economy, trade and other areas.

"We discussed global issues where the EU and U.S. have the same interests, including Russia's war in Ukraine, Iran's malign influence and challenges posed by China," Kallas said on the social media platform X.

"The EU and US are always stronger together. Looking forward to meeting you soon," said Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister.

An EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Kallas and Rubio had focused on shared priorities.

"They agreed on the necessity of maintaining maximum pressure on Moscow to move towards a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine," the official said.

"The pair also addressed the destabilising role of Iran and Syria’s political transition," the official said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded that NATO members spend 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence – a significant increase from the current 2% target and a level that no NATO country, including the United States, currently reaches.

Kallas "emphasised Europe's increasing investment in defence and its readiness to take on greater responsibility, alongside the importance of diversifying energy supplies", the EU official said.