Kaja Kallas's jabs at the US draw widespread response

TALLINN – Remarks by European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in response to criticism from United States representatives at the Munich Security Conference have caused quite a stir, reports the Postimees daily.

At the Munich Security Conference, Kallas remarked that she found it strange to hear US representatives criticizing Europe for restricting freedom of speech.

"Coming from a country that is second on the press freedom index, it is interesting for me to hear lectures on freedom of speech from a country that is 58th on the same index," Kallas said, referring to finger-wagging from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other American representatives towards European countries.

In the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, Estonia currently holds 2nd place, while the United States has fallen to 57th place.

Kallas also responded to Rubio's warning about the dangers of mass immigration: "Contrary to what some might claim, 'woke' and decadent Europe is not facing civilizational collapse. In fact, people still want to join our club, and not just other Europeans. I was told in Canada that over 40 percent of Canadians are interested in joining the EU."

"We are advancing humanity by trying to protect human rights and everything else that truly brings prosperity to people. So, it's very hard for me to believe these accusations," she added.

Former Irish ambassador Daniel Mulhall shared Kallas's quote, adding: "Visit any European country, and you will see vibrant societies and cultures. They have problems, of course, but are not on their deathbeds."

Kallas's words were also shared by Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch and current visiting professor at Princeton, who wrote: "If the European Union is facing 'civilizational collapse,' why do so many countries want to join it?"

Maria Tadeo, head of the European Union desk at Euronews, noted on X that Kallas made a comeback at the Munich Security Conference after difficult months doing a thankless job in Brussels. "She was everywhere, giving answers and actually making an impression. A Brussels comeback," Tadeo wrote.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal in Munich, Kallas noted that a gap between European and American values and interests would pose a fundamental problem. "The fundamental values of democracy and human rights are also the basis of prosperity," she stressed.

The publication Politico, however, gave Kallas the title of "worst poker face" for her reaction during a speech by US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz. Waltz was speaking about how the Donald Trump administration had ended several wars when Kallas was caught on camera grimacing.

According to Politico, Kallas's reaction reflects European dissatisfaction with the Americans.

The Maltese Herald even wrote a separate article about Kallas's expressions, titled "Vice President Kaja Kallas's Three Historic Facial Expressions at the Munich Security Conference."