Kaja Kallas at Munich Security Conference: Europe must ‘reclaim its agency’
On 15 February, the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas delivered a keynote speech at the Munich Security Conference. She has stressed the need to “reclaim European agency” in a wide-ranging speech on security and geopolitics, warning that Russia remains a threat beyond Ukraine, while insisting that Europe is strengthening its defence, neighbourhood stability and international partnerships.
Kallas rejected claims of a declining Europe, stressing that the European Union continues to attract interest from countries around the world and that its citizens expect a stronger global role to defend values, protect people and drive progress.
On security, Kallas said Europe’s defence “starts in Ukraine” but warned that Russia’s ambitions go far beyond the battlefield: “Beyond Ukraine, Russia already seeks to cripple economies through cyberattacks, disrupt satellites, sabotage undersea cables, fracture alliances with disinformation, coerce countries by weaponising oil and gas. And of course there is also the nuclear threat.”
“Russia is no superpower,” said the EU High Representative, arguing that after years of war it has suffered massive losses and economic damage. However, she cautioned that the greatest risk is that Russia could gain more through negotiations than on the battlefield. She outlined conditions for any future peace, including compensation for damage caused in Ukraine, accountability for war crimes and the return of deported Ukrainian children.
Kallas confirmed she is working with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on a new comprehensive European security strategy covering defence, economic security and preparedness, stressing that “security is indivisible”.
Turning to Europe’s neighbourhood – East and South – the EU High Representative described enlargement as “the antidote to Russian imperialism” and a strategic geopolitical choice. She noted that countries joining the EU since the end of Soviet domination have experienced significantly faster growth than Russia, calling enlargement essential for strengthening democracy and long-term stability in Europe.
On global partnerships, Kallas highlighted the EU’s extensive trade network, now covering nearly 80 countries, and growing cooperation on security and defence with partners including India and Australia. She said many countries seek closer ties with the EU to manage geopolitical risks, technological challenges and economic uncertainty.
Concluding her speech, Kallas urged Europe to stay united and decisive: “Europe’s path is clear: defend Europe, secure our neighbourhood, and build our partnerships across the globe.”
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