EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Europe is boosting defence spending following pressure from the Trump administration, calling it “tough love.”

At the Shangri-La Dialogue, Kallas supported US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s call for allies to invest more in defence, noting EU unity on security, Xinhua reported.

She connected European and Indo-Pacific security, warning about China's economic power and military ties with Russia and North Korea.

Kallas recommended further cooperation with the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and others to combat common threats. Hegseth credited US President Trump for pushing Europe to “step up”, according to Xinhua.