Kallas: NATO must become more European to preserve its strength

Europe is increasing investments in defense, but important military capabilities are still lacking, as they are too expensive for the individual European countries.

Therefore, the EU countries will have to find new ways to strengthen European defense.

That is what the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, says in her speech at the European Defence Agency’s annual conference.

– Addressing the shortcomings leads to some rather difficult questions: What geopolitical role do we want Europe and the EU to play? Can we identify a group of European NATO capabilities that the EU can support the development of?

– Can we also create military EU capabilities that will be financed and owned by the member states? These questions require political debate and action, says Kaja Kallas.

She points out that today there is close cooperation between the EU and NATO. In light of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the EU has now also taken on a larger role, supporting NATO countries’ rearmament in an attempt to reach their NATO goals.

Thus, Europe is in the process of making NATO stronger:

– For the goal is to make the 23 member states we share in the EU and NATO stronger, says Kallas, referring to countries such as Denmark, which are members of both the EU and NATO.

– Especially now, when the United States is focusing on tasks away from Europe, NATO must become more European in order to maintain its strength. That requires Europe to act, says Kaja Kallas.

In the speech, she issues a warning to the European countries that are still hesitating.

According to Kallas, Russia will “remain a long-term security threat”.

At the same time, China will be a “challenge” both for the European economy and interests – for example by supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine.

– But the biggest change is taking place on the other side of the Atlantic. A rethinking that has shaken the transatlantic relationship to its very core, says Kaja Kallas.

The statement comes after the US president, Donald Trump, with his demand for ownership of Greenland in the weeks after New Year, seemed to be in the process of dismantling the entire idea of NATO.

– Let me say this very clearly: We want strong transatlantic ties. The United States will remain Europe’s partner and ally.

– But Europe must adjust to new realities. Europe is no longer Washington’s primary center of gravity, says Kaja Kallas.

She believes that the shift is “structural, not temporary”.

– This means that Europe will have to increase its efforts, says Kaja Kallas.