EU Council president calls on US to respect bloc's domestic politics

"If we are allies, we must act as such—and allies do not threaten to interfere in each other’s domestic political life and democratic choices," Costa said, referring to Washington's recently released National Security Strategy.

Costa reaffirmed that Europe and the US have differences in their worldview and they "no longer share" the same vision of the international order.

"We remain defenders of multilateralism. We believe in an international order based on rules, we believe in science, we believe in scientific freedom, and we don’t ignore global challenges such as climate change," he underscored.

Costa said the US no longer believes in multilateralism and a rules-based international order and thinks climate change is a "lie."

"What we cannot accept is this threat of interference in Europe’s political life. The United States cannot replace European citizens in deciding which parties are good and which are bad. The United States cannot substitute itself for Europe when it comes to our view of freedom of expression," he warned.

Costa also reiterated: "We cannot accept that Ukraine’s sovereignty, its right to self-determination, and its restored borders be called into question."

"If that can happen there, imagine what could happen here in Africa. So this is not just a European issue—and that is what Europe must understand: the world is not only the United States and China," he added.

Costa also stressed the need to become a "commercial power" to have a place in the world and be strong on the international stage.

"For our part, we must indeed build the capacity to ensure security—the security of our citizens, the security of our borders, and security against the threats that come from outside. And what is new is that these threats now come from several directions," he added.

Costa further noted that the bloc should understand that globalization created "quite a number of new powers on a global scale."

The European Council president's remarks came after Washington unveiled a National Security Strategy on early Friday, marking a significant departure from previous US policy and codifying President Donald Trump’s months-long criticism of Europe.

The document accuses the continent of being over-regulated, suffering from declining “self-confidence,” and experiencing “civilizational erasure” due to immigration.

It claims that European institutions "undermine political liberty and sovereignty" and predicts that if current trends continue, Europe will become "unrecognizable in 20 years or less."

It further criticizes what it describes as censorship, suppression of political opposition, collapsing birth rates, and the erosion of national identities. The text also suggests European governments are failing to translate public support for peace into policy due to internal political constraints.

The strategy follows a series of pointed remarks from senior US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, who, in a speech in Munich, criticized limits on free speech in Europe and aligned himself with far-right movements such as Germany’s AfD.

The document does not name specific political parties but echoes Trump’s long-standing support for leaders such as Hungary’s Viktor Orban, known for his opposition to immigration and LGBTQ rights.