If Europe is left out of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, a deal would not work, the EU head of foreign policy Kaja Kallas said on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference.
“In order for everything to work, it must have Ukrainians and Europeans as part of it because the Ukrainians and Europeans also have to implement the deal here in Europe. Without us, every deal would not simply work” CNBC Silvia Amaro on the sidelines of the MSC.
Kallas' comments come after the US Vice President JD Vance amazed the European officials on Friday when he gave a speech to the MSC and made European democratic institutions and the state of speech in the region.
In his speech, Vance said that the threat to Europe was more from the inside than from opponents.
“The threat that I worried the most about Vis Europe is not Russia, it is not China, it is no other external actor. What I'm worried is the threat from the inside,” he said and added, adding, That “the withdrawal of Europe from Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values that are shared with the United State of America.”
Unnecessary to mention that the comments in Europe come with a stony silence and the strongest signal of an expanded ideological and geopolitical gap between the two powers, since President Donald Trump came to power.
The former EU official Kallas reacted to Vances Speech on Friday It was as if the Vice President “tried to choose a fight with Europe”.
“If you listen to this speech, try to choose a fight with us and we don't want to fight with our friends,” said Kallas at the Munich event, Reuters reported.
Kallas said CNBC on Saturday that Europe can “deal with our own domestic problems, the things that we have to discuss with our friends and allies are how we oppose the threats that come from outside to the transatlantic community . “
Vance “undiplomatic”, but not completely wrong
Finnish officials announced on Saturday that Vances had a nerve in Europe, but that there were elements of truth within the speech, with the European NATO members in the future.
Finnish Foreign Minister Eline Valonen told CNBC that freedom of speech in Europe had always been valued and that she had hoped that Vances speech would have accepted more “ideas” to achieve the unit in the future.
“Ultimately, it's about freedom, and who is the freedom? It is the autocrats like Russia, China and North Korea. I have any,” she told CNBCS Silvia Amaro on Saturday.
She also defended the political plurality in Europe and found that the continent was used to coalition governments that often worked ideologically different parties.
“I think what JD vance wanted to deliver yesterday is perhaps the frustration that he and the he and the [Republican] The party has felt in the United States in the United States in the United States. But it is less an object in Europe, we have many parties in all countries and usually we also form coalitions for the government. Just like in Finland and we also have a populist party in the government in Finland, so that we do not exclude anyone from power, “she said.
In the meantime, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that he believed that Vance's speech was “distorted to a domestic audience”.
“I might have had an overview of what our transatlantic relationship is today, so I was a bit surprised, but hey, it is part of being here in Munich, I am an enthusiastic transatlantic and I want the American-European relationship to continue becomes. “
The emergence of the Trump administration was a “wake-up call for Europe,” said Stubb, adding that he agreed that Europe had to increase its defense spending and take responsibility for its own security and defense.
“The way he [Vance] expresses that it may be a little less diplomatic than we are used to, but I think he is right in substance, “Stubb told CNBC.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, can be seen on a monitor during the Munich Security Conference. The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) takes place from February 14th to 16th, 2025 at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich.
Image Allianz | Image Allianz | Getty pictures
The worldwide defense and security elite has gathered in Munich for the three-day security summit, on which the discussions on the future of Ukraine, the peace talks with Russia and the redesign of Europe's security and defense architecture focus.
The summit comes just a few days after Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to start peace talks and that he had instructed US officials to start negotiations immediately.
The substance of these conversations and the conditions and compromises in Moscow and Kyiv – and the USA – are likely to demand a focus for delegates from the MSC as part of these negotiations.
The role that Europe will play in the discussions remains to be seen, although the Ukrainian claim insisted that the most steadfast ally is involved in discussions.
In a speech in front of the MSC on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the European allies to create their own army and prepare more Russian aggression in the future.
He also claimed that Kyiv had evidence that he did not use that Moscow would send troops to Belarus this summer.
Comments are closed.