European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaia Kallas, emphasized on Saturday that European nations are boosting their defense spending, largely influenced by President Donald Trump’s advocacy, while calling for stronger alliances to counter China’s economic power.
Kallas made these remarks during the Shangri-La Dialogue defense forum in Singapore, responding to comments from U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who characterized Trump’s push for increased military investment as a “tough love” approach.
When asked later about Hegseth’s remarks, Kallas joked, “Nevertheless, it’s love, so that’s better than no love at all.”
She affirmed that the relationship between Brussels and Washington remains strong, sharing that she had spoken with Hegseth. Kallas noted, “You heard his speech. He was actually very positive about Europe, so there is definitely some love there.”
Trump has persistently urged NATO member states to elevate their defense expenditures to 5% of their GDP, warning that the United States will no longer tolerate free-riders.
Kallas remarked, “Different countries in Europe have varying perspectives; some of us realized long ago that we need to invest in defense,” pointing out the need to reshape the European model as a “peace project supported by strong defense.”
She also highlighted the interconnectedness of security in Europe and the Pacific, stating, “The security of Europe and the security of the Pacific are significantly intertwined.”
Kallas cited Ukraine as an example, mentioning that North Korean soldiers are fighting there and that China is supplying military equipment to Russia, Ukraine’s adversary.
She pointed out, “There were some very strong messages in the U.S. Secretary of Defense’s speech regarding China,” adding, “I believe once again that if you are concerned about China, you should also be worried about Russia.”
Kallas disagreed with the notion that Washington is focusing on the Indo-Pacific region while Europe concentrates on its affairs, stressing that collaboration with “like-minded partners such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea… and Singapore” is crucial to counter China’s economic dominance.