Top diplomat warns Europe: US withdrawal forces continent to stand alone

At the Oslo Security Conference, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas issued a stark warning to Europe, stating that the United States’ withdrawal from European security is not a temporary anomaly associated with President Trump but reflects a lasting structural shift.

Her remarks underscored the urgent need for Europe to rethink its security posture in the face of a belligerent Russia and a transatlantic bond in decline, The Guardian reports.

"It didn’t really start with President Trump," Kallas told the audience, highlighting a long-term reorientation in Washington’s focus from the Atlantic to the Pacific. “Whether the White House is Blue or Red, the American eye is fixed on China, leaving Europe to fend for itself in its own backyard.”

Citing sobering statistics, Kallas noted that only 14% of Europeans now regard the US as their closest ally, a sharp erosion of trust fueled by tariffs, threats to NATO, and perceived American disengagement from European affairs. “The transatlantic bond is fraying into a thread,” she said.

Kallas emphasized that Europe must pursue strategic autonomy—a concept once discussed as aspirational, now framed as essential for survival. The EU must build a military-industrial capability sufficient to deter Russia independently of US support.

With the US stepping back, Kallas warned that Moscow perceives an opening. “We must bolt that door before it is kicked in,” she said, underscoring the immediate risks posed by Russian aggression.

Europe’s fragmented foreign policies remain a critical obstacle. With 27 member states pursuing different agendas, Kallas questioned whether the continent can unite effectively to defend itself—a skepticism that resonated throughout the Oslo conference.

Her remarks carry profound implications for the post-World War II security order. The era in which American power guaranteed European peace is ending. As Ukraine continues to endure Russian strikes and US political gridlock delays aid, Kallas’s message is clear: Europe can no longer rely on a savior who is unlikely to return.

“The era of the ‘Pax Americana’ is over. The era of ‘Fortress Europe’ must begin, or the continent risks becoming a playground for empires once again,” she concluded.

By Vafa Guliyeva