On Saturday, February 14th, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a highly anticipated speech at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. He emphasized the deep historical ties between the U.S. and Europe, stating that the U.S. cares deeply about Europe’s future and hopes for Europe to remain strong, as the destinies of Europe and the U.S. are closely intertwined.
Rubio’s message to Europe throughout his speech was that while there may be disagreements between the U.S. and Europe at times, they stem from the U.S.’s genuine concern for Europe, reaffirming that the U.S. will always be a friend to Europe. At the same time, major European powers at the Munich Conference were striving to showcase their independence and strength while maintaining their alliance with the U.S.
In his address on Saturday, Rubio stated, “For the U.S. and Europe, we have always belonged to each other. The U.S. was founded 250 years ago, but its roots trace back far earlier to this continent. The people who laid the foundation and built the U.S. arrived on its shores with the memories, traditions, and Christian faith of their ancestors – a sacred legacy that is an inseparable bond between Europe and the U.S.”
“We belong to the same civilization – the Western civilization. We are interconnected, sharing the deepest ties that nations can have. These ties are forged by centuries of shared history, Christian faith, culture, traditions, language, bloodlines, and the sacrifices our ancestors made for our common civilization. We are the inheritors of this shared civilization,” Rubio stated.
He emphasized that it is the close connection between the U.S. and Europe that leads the U.S. to care deeply about Europe’s future. He also sought to make Europe understand that President Trump’s strict demands on Europe are a form of “tough love” from the U.S. to its closest ally.
“This is why sometimes we Americans may seem direct and urgent in our suggestions. This is why President Trump asks our friends in Europe to take seriously and reciprocate equally. The reason is our deep concern. We deeply care about you and our collective future,” Rubio said.
“Even when we have differences at times, it is out of our deep concern for Europe, with which we are closely connected. Our relationship is not only economic, not just military, but it is also spiritual and cultural. We want Europe to be strong. We believe Europe must survive because the two world wars of the last century constantly remind us that ultimately, our fate is intertwined with yours, as we know that Europe’s destiny is never unrelated to ours.”
Rubio also mentioned issues of national security and large-scale immigration. Regarding the immigration issues troubling Europe in recent years, he stated that this is not a marginal issue, neither in the past nor now. It is still a crisis that is changing and shaking the stability of Western society.
He further stated that the West must establish a critical mineral supply chain that is not subject to coercion by other powers.
Rubio also called for reform and rebuilding of international institutions. He pointed out that the United Nations still has enormous potential to be a tool for the betterment of the world. However, in today’s most pressing issues, it has been helpless, almost playing no role, unable to resolve conflicts such as the Gaza conflict, Ukraine crisis, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the dictatorial regime of Maduro in Venezuela.
He said in an ideal world, all these issues and more could be resolved through diplomacy and firm resolutions. But “we live in a far from perfect world, and we cannot continue to allow those who openly threaten our citizens and jeopardize global stability, hiding behind hollow excuses of international law they often violate.” This is the path President Trump and the U.S. have embarked on, urging Europe’s cooperation. “The road we walked together in the past, we hope to walk it hand in hand again.”
Rubio reiterated that the U.S. wishes for a strong Europe. “We do not want our allies to be weak because that would make us weaker. We want allies to be able to defend themselves, so that no enemy dares to test our collective strength,” he said. “For this reason, we do not want our allies to be bound by guilt and shame. We want allies to take pride in their own culture and traditions, understand that we are heirs to a great and noble civilization, and are willing and capable to defend this civilization with us.”
“We do not seek separation but restoration of past friendships, the revival of the greatest civilization in human history. What we hope for is a revitalized alliance. An alliance that recognizes that what afflicts our societies is not merely a series of bad policies but a pathology of despair and complacency.”
“At a time when the media announces the ‘end of the Transatlantic era,’ let everyone know clearly: this is neither our goal nor our wish – because for us Americans, although our homeland is in the Western Hemisphere, we are forever ‘the children of Europe.'”
Rubio’s speech received a standing ovation from European dignitaries.