On January 24, 2025, European Union foreign policy chief, Kaia Kalas, extended an open invitation to newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to participate in an upcoming EU meeting in Brussels. This invitation comes as the EU seeks to establish relations with President Donald Trump's administration following his recent inauguration for a second term.
The 27 EU member states aim to prevent U.S. tariffs on European products and to maintain U.S. support amid concerns regarding Trump's commitment to ending the war in Ukraine under unclear terms. There are fears that a reduction in U.S. backing could force Ukraine into painful concessions to Russia.
Kalas communicated her invitation in a letter to EU foreign ministers, stating, 'In my message to Secretary Rubio, I extended an open invitation to attend one of our meetings at the earliest opportunity.' As of now, member states have not received a response.
The EU foreign ministers are scheduled to meet on January 27 in Brussels to discuss the relationship with the United States. Tensions remain as Trump has openly criticized the EU, accusing it of unfair treatment, particularly citing a trade deficit of hundreds of billions of dollars with the bloc.
To date, Kalas has not engaged in a direct conversation with Rubio. The only announced communication from the U.S. Secretary of State with a European diplomat was with Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski.