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The European Union’s foreign policy chief has rejected the suggestion that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” after Marco Rubio said America has no interest in being the “caretakers of the West’s managed decline”.
Kaja Kallas addressed the Munich Security Conference a day after Mr Rubio, the US Secretary of State, spoke in Germany.
Although he struck a less aggressive tone than vice president JD Vance did in lecturing European leaders last year, Mr Rubio reiterated Washington‘s intent to reshape the transatlantic alliance and push its policy priorities.
“President [Donald] Trump demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe,” he told the conference before saying that the US does not want “weak” allies.
In her address on Sunday, Ms Kallas, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, appeared to respond and alluded to criticism in the US national security strategy released in December, which said economic stagnation in Europe “is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilisational erasure”.
It suggested Europe is being weakened by its immigration policies, declining birth rates, “censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition”, and a “loss of national identities and self-confidence”.
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Kaja Kallas speaking at the Munich Security Conference (AP)
“Contrary to what some may say, woke, decadent Europe is not facing civilisational erasure,” Ms Kallas said as she hit back.
“In fact, people still want to join our club, and not just fellow Europeans,” she added, saying she was told when visiting Canada last year that many people there have an interest in joining the EU.
Mr Rubio suggested the West has been complacent since the conclusion of the Cold War, saying its “end of history” approach in assuming “every nation would now be a liberal democracy” has “cost us dearly”.
He called on European allies to “fix” the status quo.
“We in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline,” he said. “We do not seek to separate, but to revitalise an old friendship and renew the greatest civilisation in human history.
“What we want is a reinvigorated alliance that recognises that what has ailed our societies is not just a set of bad policies but a malaise of hopelessness and complacency.”
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Marco Rubio speaking at the Munich Security Conference (AP)
Ms Kallas rejected what she called “European-bashing”.
“We are, you know, pushing humanity forward, trying to defend human rights and all this, which is actually bringing also prosperity for people,” she said.
“So that’s why it’s very hard for me to believe these accusations.”
In a wide-ranging speech, Mr Rubio said an end to the transatlantic era “is neither our goal nor our wish”, adding that “our home may be in the Western hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe”.
But he made clear that the Trump administration is sticking to its guns on issues such as migration, trade and climate.
Mr Rubio said: “In a pursuit of a world without borders, we opened our doors to an unprecedented wave of mass migration that threatens the cohesion of our societies, the continuity of our culture, and the future of our people.
“We made these mistakes together, and now, together, we owe it to our people to face those facts and to move forward, to rebuild.”
European officials who addressed the gathering made clear that they in turn will stand by their values, including their approach to free speech, climate change and free trade.
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Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference (PA Wire)
Sir Keir Starmer said on Saturday that Europe must defend “the vibrant, free and diverse societies that we represent, showing that people who look different to each other can live peacefully together, that this isn’t against the tenor of our times”.
“Rather, it is what makes us strong,” he said.
Ms Kallas said Mr Rubio’s speech sent an important message that America and Europe are and will remain intertwined.
“It is also clear that we don’t see eye to eye on all the issues and this will remain the case as well, but I think we can work from there,” she said.