Kaja Kallas has hit back at what she described as Europe “bashing” by the United States, stating that Russia must be compelled to make compromises in any negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
“Contrary to what some may say, woke, decadent Europe is not facing civilisational erasure,” Ms Kallas said on the final day of the Munich Security Conference, reports RTE.
The previous day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to reassure allies, saying the US and Europe “belong together”, but stressed that Europe needed to tackle mass migration to safeguard its “civilisation”.
“The message that we heard is that America and Europe are intertwined, have been in the past and will be in the future. I think this is important,” Ms Kallas said, reports RTE.
“It is also clear that we don’t see eye to eye on all the issues, and this will remain the case,” she said.
Discussions in Munich have seen European leaders argue that the continent must assume greater responsibility for its own defence amid Russia’s aggression and uncertainty over the US commitment as President Donald Trump reshapes transatlantic relations, reports RTE.
“There is an urgent need to reclaim European agency,” Ms Kallas said.
She argued that European security “starts in Ukraine” and hinges on how Russia’s invasion concludes, as Washington intensifies efforts to bring the conflict to a halt, reports RTE.
“Let’s be clear-eyed about Russia. Russia is no superpower,” Kallas said, insisting the country was “broken”.
“The greatest threat Russia presents right now is that it gains more at the negotiation table than it has achieved on the battlefield.”
The EU’s chief diplomat urged limits on the size of Russia’s armed forces, said Moscow should cover the cost of the destruction it has caused, and be held responsible for war crimes.
France’s Europe minister Benjamin Haddad echoed calls for Europe to concentrate less on US rhetoric and instead strengthen its own capabilities, reports RTE.
“I think the worst lesson we could draw from this weekend is to say, well, I can cling to some love words that I heard in part of his speech and push the snooze button,” Mr Haddad said of Mr Rubio’s address.
“Focus on what we can control, focus on our rearmament, on the support for Ukraine and the threat that Russia poses to all of our democracies,” he added, reports RTE.
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