European Union hits back at Rubio's belittling tone

The European Union's foreign policy chief has rejected the suggestion that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” after Marco Rubio said America has no interest in being the “caretakers of the West's managed decline”.

- DAN HAYGARTH

Kaja Kallas addressed the Munich Security Conference a day after Mr Rubio, the US secretary of state, spoke in Germany.

Although he struck a less aggressive tone than vice-president JD Vance did in lecturing European leaders last year, Mr Rubio reiterated Washington’s intent to reshape the transatlantic alliance and push its policy priorities.

“President [Donald] Trump demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe,” he told the conference before saying that the US does not want “weak” allies.

In her address yesterday, Ms Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, appeared to respond and alluded to criticism in the US national security strategy released in December, which said economic stagnation in Europe "is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilisational erasure".

It suggested Europe is being weakened by its immigration policies, declining birth rates, “censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition” and a “loss of national identities and self-confidence”.