The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, arrived in Europe on Friday (February 13) morning to embark on a four-day official visit. His main agenda for this trip is to attend the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) and is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Rubio expressed to the media before his departure that the world has entered a new era of geopolitics, and it is crucial for American and European allies to discuss future cooperation frameworks together.
He stated to reporters before boarding the plane to Germany that the current international situation is at a fundamental turning point. Rubio bluntly said, “The world is rapidly changing before our eyes. To be honest, the old world I grew up with has disappeared. We are living in a new era of geopolitics that requires all of us to reconsider the prospects for the future and the roles we will play.”
Despite emphasizing the need for change, Rubio also signaled positivity towards US-Europe relations.
He emphasized, “Europe is very important to us. We are closely connected with Europe, our future is always linked to it, and it will continue to be so. Therefore, we must discuss the blueprint for the future.”
Rubio is scheduled to deliver a significant speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday (February 14), which has attracted over 60 heads of state and around 100 foreign affairs and defense ministers.
A year ago, US Vice President JD Vance critically addressed many of the American European allies at the conference. US officials stated that Rubio will take a less controversial but philosophically similar position.
It is expected that he will present a more practical approach in explaining how the US and its partners can address the current changes.
Apart from attending the security conference, Rubio will meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to discuss US-German bilateral relations and European defense responsibilities.
Additionally, during his visit to Europe, he will also visit Slovakia and Hungary. Rubio stated that these two countries are “strong and close partners of the United States.”
The purpose of this trip is to strengthen regional security and energy cooperation, with the US expected to encourage allies to reduce their reliance on Russian energy sources during the talks.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Rubio expressed sorrow for the plight of Ukrainian civilians being bombed and reaffirmed the US commitment to ending the war.
In a recent release of US national security and defense strategies, it clearly stated the US’s intention to continue playing a core role in NATO while adjusting its deployments in Europe. Rubio’s European tour is seen as an opportunity for more in-depth communication with allies on how to share common defense responsibilities.