Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, affirmed that the United States remains Europe's greatest ally, despite the sharp and unprecedented criticism leveled at the EU by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

In an interview with Euronews at the Doha Forum in Qatar, Kallas downplayed the controversy sparked by the US National Security Strategy report, which claimed that Europe is heading toward "civilizational decline" due to immigration, surveillance, and supranational policies, and called on the United States to work with "European national parties" to restore the continent's "greatness."

While the report's language aligns with the Trump administration's political rhetoric, its tone appeared harsh toward European allies. Kallas stressed the need to maintain cooperation, saying, "Let's focus on the things we can do together. What we can take away from that strategy is that we are still allies with America. We don't always agree on everything." Shared Challenges with Washington

Callas called for a focus on the most pressing global issues, adding: “Let’s focus on the global challenges we actually face, such as China’s coercive economic practices, which we both face, and the threat from malign actors like Russia, China, and Iran.”

The National Security Report came during a week of heightened tensions between the United States and the European Union. The European Commission fined Elon Musk’s X platform €120 million for violating transparency rules, prompting Musk to call for the dismantling of the EU. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the fine as “outrageous.”

Impact of Tensions on Ukraine Negotiations

These tensions coincide with US-led negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, as Europeans seek to return to the negotiating table after being sidelined at the start of US-Russian talks. A meeting is scheduled for Monday in London, bringing together German Chancellor Merz, French President Macron, British Prime Minister Starmer, and Ukrainian President Zelensky to resume the talks. Qatar's Growing Role and Expanded Cooperation

In a related development, Callas noted the commencement of negotiations between the European Union and Qatar, highlighting Doha's growing role in the region. She stated, "We also see Qatar's increasing role in the Middle East, all the international mediation they are undertaking regarding Sudan, as well as Gaza, the children of Ukraine, and the Great Lakes region."

She added that the areas of cooperation between the two sides are vast, encompassing not only peace and security, but also trade, economic relations, innovation, and technology, all of which can be developed.