The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, assured on Saturday that the United States remains Europe’s main ally. According to the AFP agency, this is how Kallas is trying to lighten the criticism of European institutions in the new American national security strategy.
- The United States remains Europe’s main ally, says Kallasová.
- American strategy criticizes European problems as the erosion of democracy.
- German Minister Wadephul rejected American criticism of freedom of speech.
- The USA calls for peaceful solutions, taking security interests into account.
- Kallasová draws attention to the need for Europe’s self-confident attitude towards Russia.
“Of course, there is a lot of criticism, but I think some of it is also true,” Kallas said at the annual diplomatic conference in the Qatari capital of Doha when asked about the American strategy.
“The US is still our biggest ally… I don’t think we’ve always seen all the issues the same way, but the overall principle remains. We are our biggest ally and we should stand together,” she added.
German criticism of the strategy
As a critic of the new security strategy, he spoke on Friday, for example German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who sharply rejected those parts of the new American national security strategy that portray Europe in a negative light, especially when it comes to freedom of expression.
In a meeting with his Icelandic counterpart Thorgeir Katrín Gunnarsdóttir in Berlin, Wadephul said he “doesn’t think anyone should be giving us advice” on freedom of expression, which is protected by “our constitutional order”. At the same time, he emphasized that the US is and remains Germany’s most important ally in NATO, and expressed pride in the “free media” in his country.
Criticism of European politics
In a new national security strategy released by the White House on Thursday night, the US administration warns of the erosion of democracy and freedom of expression in Europe and calls for a change in that direction.
The text states that “the main problems facing Europe include the activities of the European Union and other transnational bodies that threaten political freedom and sovereignty; migration policies that are changing the continent and causing tension; censorship of freedom of expression and suppression of political opposition; declining birth rates and loss of national identity and self-confidence,” the text states.
Kallas’ attitude to peace
Regarding Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, the strategy says, “The Trump administration is at odds with European officials who have unrealistic expectations of war and are part of unstable minority governments, many of which are suppressing basic democratic principles to silence opposition.”
“Europe underestimates its own strength. For example, vis-à-vis Russia… we should be more self-confident,” declared Kallas on Saturday in Doha.
In connection with the proposal of the US peace plan, which asks Ukraine to give up territories not conquered by Russia in exchange for security guarantees that do not reflect its desire to join NATO, Kallasova warned that setting limits and exerting pressure on Ukraine “does not bring lasting peace.” She warned that if Russia’s aggression is “rewarded,” this scenario will be repeated, “and not only in Ukraine or Gaza, but everywhere in the world.”
