The changes in relations between Europe and the U.S. are of a "structural, not temporary nature," stated High Representative Kaja Kallas, urging the continent to recognize that it is no longer at the center of American interests and must defend itself.
The European Union should not outsource its security to the United States, urged EU High Representative Kaja Kallas. Speaking at the European Defence Agency conference on January 28, Kallas stated that the changes in relations between Europe and the U.S. are of a "structural, not temporary nature" and that the continent should adapt to new realities.
Kallas's remarks came shortly after a transatlantic conflict over Greenland, the Danish island that Donald Trump sought to acquire.
"Perhaps the biggest change in fundamental realignment is happening on the other side of the Atlantic," Kallas said. "This has shaken transatlantic relations to their core." The geopolitical landscape today, in her assessment, looks bleak: she called Russia the "main security threat," China a "long-term challenge," and the Middle East a "completely unpredictable" region.
Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and after Trump's re-election, the EU has launched several multibillion-euro initiatives to rapidly increase defense spending, develop national industries, and reduce dependence on American supplies. The bloc's roadmap sets 2030 as the deadline for achieving full combat readiness.
Just a few days ago, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Europeans would not manage defense issues without U.S. assistance and its nuclear umbrella, which caused outrage in the Old World.
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