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United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has addressed European leaders at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in an address seen as more conciliatory than in previous years.<\/p>\n
Rubio on Saturday said Washington and Europe \u201cbelong together\u201d, adding: \u201cWe want Europe to be strong. We believe that Europe must survive.\u201d<\/p>\n
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He also said the US under Trump wants to lead global \u201crenewal and restoration \u2026 and that while we are prepared, if necessary, to do this alone, it is our preference and it is our hope to do this together with you, our friends here in Europe\u201d.<\/p>\n
Rubio\u2019s speech on Saturday was seen as more conciliatory than remarks made by US Vice President JD Vance last year, who used his appearance at the event to attack European policies on immigration and free speech, shocking European allies.<\/p>\n
Despite the softer tone, Rubio still criticised Europe on migration. He warned of \u201ccivilisational erasure\u201d caused by mass migration and said it is \u201cdestabilising\u201d the West \u2013 a line that has been frequently repeated by US officials, including the president.<\/p>\n
Other divisions remain between the once-ironclad allies. European leaders remain bruised by Trump\u2019s desire to take control of Greenland<\/a>, an autonomous territory of NATO-member Denmark.<\/p>\n European leaders have used the MSC as an opportunity to pledge to shoulder more of the burden of shared NATO defences. Leaders said this is essential for Europe to counter a hostile Russia, with NATO chief Mark Rutte saying \u201ca strong Europe in a strong NATO means that the transatlantic bond will be stronger than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the right time for a strong Europe,\u201d said French President Emmanuel Macron, who stressed on Friday that the continent was \u201cclear in the support of Ukraine\u201d and \u201cbuilding its own architecture of security\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThis Europe will be a good ally and partner for the United States of America,\u201d the French leader said.<\/p>\n British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the conference that Europe \u201cmust be ready to fight, to do whatever it takes to protect our people, our values and our way of life,\u201d and added that the continent should focus on decreasing \u201csome dependencies\u201d and focus on creating a \u201cmore European NATO\u201d.<\/p>\n