MUNICH (AP) — A top European Union official on Sunday rejected the notion that Europe faces “civilizational erasure,” pushing back at criticism of the continent by the Trump administration.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas addressed the Munich Security Conference a day after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a somewhat reassuring message to European allies. He struck a less aggressive tone than Vice President JD Vance did in lecturing them at the same gathering last year but maintained a firm tone on Washington's intent to reshape the trans-Atlantic alliance and push its policy priorities.
Kallas alluded to criticism in the U.S. national security strategy released in December, which asserted that economic stagnation in Europe “is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilizational erasure." It suggested that Europe is being enfeebled by its immigration policies, declining birth rates, “censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition” and a “loss of national identities and self-confidence.”
“Contrary to what some may say, woke, decadent Europe is not facing civilizational erasure,” Kallas told the conference. “In fact, people still want to join our club and not just fellow Europeans,” she added, saying she was told when visiting Canada last year that many people there have an interest in joining the EU.
Kallas rejected what she called “European-bashing.”
“We are, you know, pushing humanity forward, trying to defend human rights and all this, which is actually bringing also prosperity for people. So that’s why it’s very hard for me to believe these accusations.”
In his conference speech, Rubio said that an end to the trans-Atlantic era “is neither our goal nor our wish,” adding that “our home may be in the Western hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe.”
He made clear that the Trump administration is sticking to its guns on issues such as migration, trade and climate. And European officials who addressed the gathering made clear that they in turn will stand by their values, including their approach to free speech, climate change and free trade.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday that Europe must defend “the vibrant, free and diverse societies that we represent, showing that people who look different to each other can live peacefully together, that this isn’t against the tenor of our times."
"Rather, it is what makes us strong,” he said.
Kallas said Rubio's speech sent an important message that America and Europe are and will remain intertwined.
“It is also clear that we don’t see eye to eye on all the issues and this will remain the case as well, but I think we can work from there,” she said.
Moulson reported from Berlin. Associated Press writer Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gives a thumbs up as he departs Munich International Airport in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, after attending the Munich Security Conference. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas speaks during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Federica Brignone waited 16 years to earn her first Olympic gold medal.
The wait for her second may be considerably shorter. The Italian star is in the lead through one run in the women's alpine giant slalom at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
The 35-year-old, who finally stood atop the Olympic podium after claiming the super-G last week, was easily the fastest among the 76 competitors in the Dolomite Mountains above Cortina.
American star Mikaela Shiffrin, looking for her first Olympic medal in eight years, sits seventh, just over a second back.
Brignone was the world champion in the GS last year, but that was before sustaining a broken left leg in March that required surgery, a handful of screws to repair and left her unable to walk for weeks, Brignone breezed through the 51-gate course in 1:03.23 to give her a sizable lead over the crowded field behind her.
“I tried to attack, to be clean and intelligent on the terrain changes and then toward the end, to anticipate the bumps — a bit like in the super-G,” Brignone said. “It was just a natural reaction for me. I had a proper run and it all came naturally to me.”
Lena Duerr of Germany is second, 0.34 behind Brignone, whose four Olympic medals are tied for the most by an Italian women in alpine racing history. Brignone's teammate Sofia Goggia is third, 0.46 back.
There's a large group giving chase. Defending Olympic champion Sara Hector of Sweden, Thea Louise Stjernesund of Norway and Lara Colturi of Albania all posted the fourth-fastest time at 1:03.97.
Running in pristine conditions, Stjernesund set the pace as the first one out of the starting gate. Hector, going next, matched her time exactly. Colturi, 10th among the starters, drew a roar from the crowd when her time flashed and matched Hector and Stjernsund's down to the hundredth of a second.
Shiffrin, the 2018 Olympic champion in this event, entered Sunday trying to bounce back after a disappointing fourth place finish in the combined earlier in the Games, when her sluggish slalom run dropped Shiffrin and teammate and reigning Olympic downhill champion Breezy Johnson from first to fourth.
Shiffrin promised she would learn from her slalom run in the combined. While she was solid and never came close to danger, she also couldn't quite find the speed of the leaders. None of her four timing splits ranked in the top four among early competitors.
Even a spectacular run might not have been enough to catch the electrifying Brignone. She had the second fastest-time in the first segment, the fastest in the second and the second-fastest in the fourth.
Brignone, who made her Olympic debut at the 2010 Games in Vancouver and had a silver and two bronzes in her career under the rings coming to Cortina, is poised for her second golden finish in less than a week.
Julia Scheib, the current World Cup leader in giant slalom this season, sat 11th and isn't optimistic anyone can catch Brignone.
“Perfect skiing,” Scheib said. “I mean she likes the snow. I noticed and it was not a huge surprise.”
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Italy's Sofia Goggia speeds down the course, during an alpine ski, women's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course, during an alpine ski, women's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Italy's Federica Brignone at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Italy's Federica Brignone competes during an alpine ski, women's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
