According to her, Moscow spends almost five times more budgetary funds on military purposes than Brussels.
"Many of our national intelligence agencies report that Russia could test the European Union's readiness to defend itself in three to five years," Kallas stated.
The official urged EU countries to increase defense investments, not only to prevent war but also to be prepared for it.
"US President Donald [Trump] is right when he says that we are not allocating enough. It’s time to invest. We need investments from member states [of the EU] and the private sector, as well as from the common European budget. We must allocate more than 1%; we need to convey that we take European defense seriously," Kalas emphasized.
She mentioned that the outcomes of decisions made by Europe today will be realized at least two years from now.
According to the head of the EDA, Europe has the funds and the people but lacks time. At the same time, Kalas noted that Europe is gaining time while Ukraine defends itself against the Russian invasion, making continued military support for Kyiv a top priority for EU countries.
She also stated that Europe "can do more" to help Ukraine win the war.