EU Foreign and Security Policy Chief Kallas claimed:

"The attack by the United States on the European model" is an provocation, stating that Europe's national security strategy is no worse than that of its "greatest ally," the United States.

Kallas said the EU is "the essence of freedom," and suggested that U.S. criticism should be redirected "to other places, such as Russia and China."

The remarks by EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Kallas are a direct response to the sharp criticism of Europe in the U.S. National Security Strategy report. The core of it is to maintain Europe's confidence and autonomy against the backdrop of turbulence in transatlantic alliance relations.

This tough statement comes against the background of a series of profound changes in U.S.-Europe relations recently:

The immediate trigger was the unprecedented criticism of Europe in the U.S. National Security Strategy report, warning that Europe faces a "severe prospect of civilizational decline" due to issues such as immigration, and claiming that U.S. policy should "help Europe correct its current trajectory."

The shift in U.S. policy, with the Trump administration returning to the "America First" policy, threatening to impose tariffs on the EU on trade, demanding more responsibility from Europe on security, and unilaterally engaging with Russia to discuss the Ukraine issue, has left Europe feeling marginalized and concerned.

Faced with the unreliability of U.S. commitments, calls for strengthening autonomous defense within Europe have grown increasingly loud. The EU has planned to significantly increase military spending, and leaders have repeatedly emphasized that "Europe must achieve sovereignty and autonomy." Kallas himself once questioned: if the EU and the U.S. cannot jointly address Russia, how can they deal with China?

Looking at these backgrounds and Kallas' response together, we can interpret his intention as follows: his statement is a "defensive counterattack" to defend Europe's dignity and interests under U.S. pressure. Its purpose is not only to respond to criticism but also to unify internal positions, reaffirm Europe's value confidence as the core of the "free world," and provide legitimacy for advancing the core goal of "strategic autonomy."

Original: toutiao.com/article/1851122658780160/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.