EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas addressed the Munich Security Conference on Sunday – a day after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a somewhat reassuring message to European allies. Ms Kallas alluded to criticism in the US national security strategy released in December, which asserted that economic stagnation in Europe “is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilisational erasure”. It suggested Europe is being enfeebled 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”. Ms Kallas told the conference: “Contrary to what some may say, woke, decadent Europe is not facing civilisational erasure. He added: “Rather, it is what makes us strong.”Ms Kallas said Mr Rubio’s speech sent an important message that America and Europe are and will remain intertwined.

Source: The Times February 15, 2026 12:05 UTC