EU's Borrell urges Europe not to rely much on US protection: Umbrella may not be open all the time
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell (Getty Images)
Head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell is urging European countries not to rely much on US protection, reports Financial Times.
“The US umbrella, which we have relied on since the Cold War, may not be open all the time,” Borrell said. “Maybe, depending on who is ruling Washington, we cannot rely on America to protect us.”
Borrell adds that the priorities of individual members within the alliance may change.
The EU's chief diplomat also says Europe should prepare for a possible war, as a full-scale conflict on the continent outside of Ukraine "is no longer a fantasy." According to him, "Russia threatens Europe both through its ongoing war in Ukraine and hybrid attacks on EU member states."
“War is certainly looming around us. A high-intensity, conventional war in Europe is no longer a fantasy,” said Borrell.
NATO preparing for possible escalations
Earlier, NATO Military Committee Chairman Admiral Rob Bauer said that the alliance needs transformation, and the West must prepare for an era where anything can happen at any time, including the onset of war.
His remarks came against the backdrop of delays or limitations in military aid to Ukraine from the US and the EU.
On January 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Western wavering in Kyiv support and fears of escalation with Russia could prolong the fighting for years.
