EU's Kallas urges respect for international law over US narco-boat strikes

The EU upholds international law restricting force to self-defence or UN-mandated actions, the bloc's EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said as European and Latin American leaders convened in Colombia amid questions over US military strikes on alleged narco-boats.

The fourth CELAC-EU summit opened in Santa Marta on Thursday, with Kallas addressing US actions in the Caribbean that Washington claims target narcotics trafficking.

"Well, international law is very clear on that. You can use force for two reasons: one is self-defence, the other one is the UN Security Council resolution," Kallas said upon arrival.

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof called for restoring calm in the Caribbean Sea and urged leaders to reduce tensions. Mexican Foreign Secretary Juan Ramon de la Fuente said Mexico's position seeks to respect "sovereignty of peoples and their self-determination."

Colombian President Gustavo Petro described the deaths as "extrajudicial executions" and identified at least one casualty as a Colombian citizen. “What are we doing with this meeting in today’s world amidst missiles?” Petro asked attendees in his inaugural remarks, adding that he wished the summit “to be a beacon of light amidst the barbarity.”

Following Petro's remarks, some leaders highlighted the increase in trade between the regions and joint progress in digital connectivity programs, the green transition, social development and artificial intelligence.

“We choose dialogue, not division; we choose cooperation, not confrontation; we choose partnership, not isolation. And in this multipolar world of ours, what is needed is a multilateral response,” European Council President António Costa said without mentioning the attacks on the vessels.

The Trump administration has repeatedly rejected accusations that strikes on narcoboats constitute extrajudicial killings.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier said Washington has carried out some 18 boat strikes since September. At least 70 people have been killed in attacks on alleged drug-smuggling vessels, according to reports.

“To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: if you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs – we will kill you,” Hegseth said in a post on X on Friday.

The two-day summit brings together representatives from 60 countries across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss trade, climate change, migration and security cooperation. CELAC, founded in 2010, represents 33 Latin American and Caribbean nations.

European attendance was notably lower than at previous summits, with leaders including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz among the absentees.

In the past, CELAC has struggled with internal divisions, with right-leaning governments boycotting meetings when leftist leaders dominated the organisation. The US is not a party to the summit.