U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured European leaders that Washington does not seek to end the transatlantic era and aims to work “together” with its allies, as the Munich Security Conference began amid tensions over defense and Ukraine.
“In a time of headlines heralding the end of the transatlantic era, let it be known and clear to all that this is neither our goal nor our wish,” Rubio said in his address, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
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“For us Americans, our home may be in the western hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe.”
Rubio spoke to an audience of nearly 50 heads of state and government at the annual gathering in Bavaria.
He said the United States does not want to act as “caretakers of the west’s managed decline” and urged allies to reform international institutions.
“We do not live in a perfect world,” he said. “The UN and other bodies need urgent reform.”
Rubio called for stronger allies and said Washington would remain direct in its counsel “because we care deeply”.
He said the United States would not step back from efforts to end the war in Ukraine. At the same time, Rubio did not mention Russia by name during his main speech and avoided detailed references to Nato.
Reuters reported that his remarks were notably short on specifics.
The tone of his speech drew a positive response from several European leaders.
Finland’s foreign minister Elina Valtonen said Rubio’s address was “exactly what has been needed both in Europe and in the United States”.
“Now there was a clear gesture of outreach,” she told reporters in Munich. “This is a good basis on which to continue.” Valtonen noted that Rubio repeated the word “together” during his speech.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb met Rubio at the conference venue. The two shook hands at The Economist’s studio before holding formal talks later in the day.
Stubb has said Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security while keeping the United States engaged.
Rubio’s address preceded a panel on Ukraine that included Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and US Senator Roger Wicker.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy detailed the scale of Russian attacks on his country.
In January alone, Ukraine faced more than 6,000 attack drones, over 150 missiles and more than 5,000 glide bombs, Zelenskyy said.
“There is not a single power plant in Ukraine that has not been damaged,” he told delegates.
He said Russia loses 156 soldiers for every kilometre of Ukrainian territory it captures.
