European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the US wants to “divide Europe” and that it “doesn’t like the European Union” in an interview published by the Financial Times on Friday, after more than a year of turmoil in transatlantic relations.
“What I think is actually important for everyone to understand is that the USA was very clear that they wanted to divide Europe. They don’t like the European Union,” Kallas told the FT.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly targeted the European Union during his second term, imposing tariffs on member states and others, and talking about annexing Greenland – a move that could effectively end the NATO alliance.
This week, the Trump administration launched trade investigations against the EU and other countries, including China, India, Japan, South Korea and Mexico, for what it said were unfair trade practices. According to the investigation, the countries could face new tariffs by this summer, after the US Supreme Court struck down much of Trump’s tariff program last month.
Kallas said the US approach to the EU mirrors tactics used by the bloc’s opponents, according to the Financial Times.
EU countries should not seek bilateral deals with Trump, she said, but should instead deal with him together, “because we are equal forces when we are together,” the FT reported.
However, on defence, Kallas said the bloc should “buy from America because we don’t have the means, the capabilities or the capacities we need”, adding that Europe should invest in its own defence industry.
