MUNICH, Feb 15: EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas pushed back Sunday against Europe "bashing" by the United States, as she said Russia must be forced to make concessions in talks to end the Ukraine war.
"Contrary to what some may say, woke, decadent Europe is not facing civilisational erasure," Kallas said on the last day of the Munich Security Conference.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday reassured allies by saying Washington and Europe "belong together" -- but insisted the continent must defend against mass migration to protect 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," Kallas said.
"It is also clear that we don't see eye to eye in all the issues, and this will remain the case," she said.
The gathering in Munich has seen European officials insist the continent must take the lead on its defence in the face of an aggressive Russia and doubts over the reliability of the United States as President Donald Trump upends ties.
"There is an urgent need to reclaim European agency," Kallas said.
She said European defence "starts in Ukraine" and depends on how Russia's war ends as the United States pushes efforts to stop the fighting.
"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 top diplomat called for the size of Russia's military to be capped, said Moscow must pay for damages caused, and be held accountable for war crimes. "AFP
