Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said that the need for increased defense can be “tricky” to describe in some European nations further away from Ukraine.
Kaja Kallas is visiting Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of her first trip to the Western Balkans.
During an interview with ERR, Kallas discussed Europe’s potential as a new global leader, the use of confiscated Russian assets for European defense, and the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
“This is highly, highly complex,”
She said, reflecting on the EU’s stance.
“I had a meeting with some of the Arab countries, and everyone is deeply frustrated that the conflict can’t actually be halted. There just isn’t the power to do so. We are trying to provide humanitarian aid to all victims, plus we have a border mission to get people out of Gaza. These are the things we’re doing, yet this truly isn’t enough to end the war.”
Why is Kaja Kallas urging more EU defense spending?
A few months ago, Kaja Kallas told the audience of the European Defence Agency annual conference that in 2024, member states collectively spent an average of 1.9% of GDP on defence, while Russia was spending 9%.
According to Kaja Kallas, the EU’s chief diplomat, the European Union needs to increase its defense expenditure to “prepare for the worst” and ensure it can independently protect itself against an aggressive Russia if necessary.
“Many of our national intelligence agencies are giving us the information that Russia could test the EU’s readiness to defend itself in three to five years,”
Kallas addressed the audience at the annual conference of the European Defence Agency in Brussels.
She emphasized that within three months, Russia is capable of producing more weapons and ammunition than the 27-nation bloc can in a year.
“President Trump is correct in stating that our spending is insufficient.”
The EU typically dedicates about 1% of its GDP to support policy initiatives that include agriculture and socio-economic cohesion among its richest and poorest regions. This long-term budget is set for renegotiation in the summer of 2025 for the seven-year period beginning in 2028, with defense emerging as a primary focus.
