"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz opened this year's gathering by calling for the United States and Europe to "repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together," saying that even the U.S. isn't powerful enough to go it alone in an world whose old order no longer exists. He made clear that Europe will stand by its approach to free speech and climate change, and rejects a "culture war" and protectionism."
"Rubio argued that the "euphoria" of the Western victory in the Cold War led to a "dangerous delusion that we had entered 'the end of history,' that every nation would now be a liberal democracy, that the ties formed by trade and by commerce alone would now replace nationhood ... and that we would now live in a world without borders where everyone became a citizen of the world.""
"Reminding his audience at the annual Munich Security Conference about America's centuries-long roots in Europe, Rubio said the United States would remain forever tied to the continent even as it pushes for changes in the relationship and the international institutions that have been the bulwark of the post-World War II world order. Rubio addressed the conference a year after Vice President JD Vance stunned the same audience with a harsh critique of European values."
A calm, reassuring tone toward America's allies emphasized continued U.S. ties to Europe while signaling intent to reshape the trans-Atlantic alliance after a year of often-hostile rhetoric. The United States was portrayed as forever tied to the continent even as changes are sought in bilateral relationships and in international institutions that anchored the post-World War II order. The gathering followed a prior harsh critique of European values and a series of moves targeting allies, including a short-lived tariff threat tied to Greenland. European leadership urged repair of trans-Atlantic trust and defended commitments to free speech, climate action, and opposition to protectionism and culture wars.
Read at www.npr.org
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