Moscow, meanwhile, is floating a limited Victory Day ceasefire as it scales back its May 9 parade, dropping tanks and heavy equipment for the first time in nearly 20 years, a sign of strain after months of losses and Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia.
At the same time, Europe is being forced to rethink its own defenses.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to pull American troops out of Germany, raising fresh doubts about Washington’s commitment to European security, after repeatedly saying he is reconsidering America’s membership of NATO.
Kallas warned Thursday that Russia is “gearing up its military for a long-term confrontation with the West” and that “showing weakness only invites aggression.”
Across the EU, governments are accelerating plans to bolster military readiness, including the €150 billion SAFE loans-for-weapons program as part of a broader push that could mobilize up to €800 billion.
“There can be no return to business as usual with Russia,” Kallas said.