EU's Kallas says Washington biggest ally' despite US security downgrade

"European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said the United States remains Europe's biggest ally despite stinging criticism of the continent in a major strategy document amid ongoing ceasefire talks on the Ukraine war. Speaking at the Doha Forum in Qatar on Saturday, Kallas said some of the US National Security Strategy's criticism of Europe, which included charges of lacking in self-confidence and facing civilizational erasure, a widely dismissed claim, were true, but insisted the EU and US should stick together."

"The document, which said Europe might one day lose its status as a reliable ally, struck a similar tone to the offensive launched by US President Donald Trump's administration against Europe earlier this year as it pressed for countries to up their NATO contributions, accusing them of taking advantage of Washington's generosity amid the Ukraine war."

"Trump has taken a lead in efforts to end the war, which started with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, coming up with a plan that involves Ukraine surrendering land that Russia has not been able to win on the battlefield in return for security promises that fall short of Kyiv's aspirations to join NATO. US officials are holding a third straight day of talks on Saturday with Ukrainian counterparts who have pushed for revisions to that draft, as a follow-up to five hours of talks in Moscow on Tuesday, which confirmed Russian President Vladimir Putin is not giving up on his maximalist demands and territorial claims."

Kaja Kallas said the United States remains Europe's biggest ally despite sharp criticism in the US National Security Strategy that Europe lacks self-confidence and faces civilizational erasure. She acknowledged some criticisms were true but insisted the EU and US should stick together and said the US should help Europe correct its current trajectory. The US document warned Europe might lose its status as a reliable ally and echoed pressure to raise NATO contributions. President Trump proposed a plan requiring Ukraine to cede territory in exchange for limited security guarantees. US and Ukrainian officials are holding talks to revise that draft after Moscow talks confirmed Putin's continued maximalist territorial demands. Washington said real progress would depend on Russia's readiness.

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