EU Chief Says Europe Won’t Tolerate US ‘Threat to Interfere’

European Council President Antonio Costa on Monday firmly rejected any attempt by the United States to influence Europe’s political direction, after Washington unveiled a new security strategy sharply critical of the continent’s policies.

Speaking at a conference in Brussels, Costa said Europe would not tolerate “threats to interfere in European politics,” responding to the US National Security Strategy released last week, in which President Donald Trump portrayed Europe as over-regulated, censorious, and facing “civilizational erasure” driven by immigration.

The document signalled that Washington plans to actively support political forces aligned with its views, saying the administration would be “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations.” Critics say the approach mirrors the agendas of far-right parties across the continent.

“The United States cannot replace European citizens in choosing which parties are good or bad,” Costa said, adding that Washington also had no role in defining Europe’s vision for freedom of expression.

Costa noted that while Europe and the US have long disagreed on issues such as climate policy, the new strategy “goes beyond that.” Allies, he said, should treat each other accordingly.

“The US remains an important ally and economic partner, but Europe must be sovereign,” he added.

Costa also voiced concern that Russia had praised the strategy as “largely consistent” with its own worldview, calling it a troubling signal. He said the document’s stance on the Ukraine war fell short of Europe’s goal of achieving a “just and durable” peace, instead appearing focused only on ending hostilities and restoring stable ties with Moscow.