Refugee crisis `a near existential threat to Europe`: John Kerry

Bavaria: The mass influx of refugees and other migrants into Europe spells a "near existential threat" to Europe, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday.

"The United States understands the near existential nature of this threat to the politics and fabric of life in Europe," he told the Munich Security Conference.

"We are not saying `this is your problem, not ours`," he added. "This is our problem... And that is why we are joining now and enforcing a NATO mission to close off a key access route and we will join you in other ways to stem this tide."