A scheduled meeting between European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Secretary of State Marco Rubio was unexpectedly canceled on Wednesday due to “scheduling issues,” amid rising political tensions between Europe and the United States.
Officials from both sides attributed the cancellation to scheduling difficulties, preventing the two—who last met at the Munich Security Conference in Germany last month—from convening in Washington.
However, European officials expressed surprise at the abrupt change, particularly since Kallas had publicly referenced her upcoming talks with Rubio just two days earlier.
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has destabilized the U.S.-Europe partnership by proposing increased tariffs on European imports, arguing they should match those imposed on American products. In response, EU officials have traveled to Washington in an effort to avert a trade conflict.
Additionally, top Trump administration officials have insisted that Europe take greater responsibility for its own security, including its support for Ukraine, while also excluding European leaders from initial negotiations with Russia regarding the war.
In a notable policy shift, the U.S. diverged from its European allies by refusing to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations this week, even siding with Moscow in voting against a Europe-backed Ukrainian resolution.
As part of ongoing diplomatic efforts, French President Emmanuel Macron met with Trump at the White House on Monday in an attempt to secure support.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose country is no longer part of the EU but often aligns with it on foreign policy matters, is expected to visit on Thursday.
On Monday, Kallas had stated that she was set to hold discussions with Rubio “on the issues that are of interest to both of us,” which for the EU primarily include Russia’s war on Ukraine and transatlantic relations.
“It is clear that the statements coming from the United States make us all worried,” she told reporters following a meeting with EU foreign ministers.
Kallas expressed hope that EU-U.S. relations would remain intact.
Marco Rubio
“So far, we do not have any indication that it would not. Of course, it is going to change, that is very clear. But we should not throw something out the window that has worked well so far,” she said.
When asked about the meeting’s abrupt cancellation, her office issued a brief statement referring all inquiries to the State Department.
A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the meeting—which had not been listed on Rubio’s public schedule—was scrapped due to “an unavoidable scheduling conflict.” Rubio, meanwhile, attended Trump’s Cabinet meeting at the White House, which commenced late Wednesday morning.
The cancellation occurred less than a week after the State Department’s policy planning office circulated an internal memo instructing officials handling European affairs to emphasize two key issues in discussions with their European counterparts.
The February 21 memo also mentioned preliminary plans for a meeting between Rubio and Kallas.
The two focal points outlined in the memo were “Freedom of Speech and Free Opposition” and “Migration.”
Regarding free speech, the memo stated that Rubio and other U.S. diplomats should highlight the Trump administration’s commitment to the principle in discussions with European officials.
It referenced a recent speech by Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference, in which he urged the West to “unite around free speech, halt censorship, reject suppressing opposition, jailing people for tweets and memes, etc.”
“The United States cannot continue supporting a continent that drifts in an authoritarian direction,” the memo stated. “It’s bad for Europe and bad for us.”
On the issue of migration, the memo instructed U.S. officials, including Rubio, to describe Europe’s “de facto open borders policy” as a “disaster” that must be addressed. Trump has prioritized cracking down on illegal immigration and implementing mass deportations as a key policy objective.
“The United States is changing course on migration policy under Trump,” the memo declared. “It’s well past time for Europe to do the same. We want you to remain civilization partners, and to do that, you must get this under control.”
It remains unclear whether the direct language of the memo played a role in the cancellation of the planned meeting between Rubio and Kallas.
Despite the setback, Kallas was still scheduled to meet with U.S. senators and members of Congress to discuss the war in Ukraine and EU-U.S. relations during her two-day visit to Washington. Additionally, she was set to participate in a discussion on these topics at the Hudson Institute, a policy research organization.
