United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio told European leaders on Saturday, February 14, 2026, that Washington wants to renew its alliance with the continent, but on terms aligned with President Donald Trump’s vision for reshaping the global order.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Rubio described the United States as a child of Europe and said the two sides belong together. He offered what he called a renewed partnership, stating the US preferred to build a new world order alongside Europe rather than alone.
“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,” he said.
Conciliatory Tone but Clear Conditions
The tone of the speech was seen as more conciliatory than previous remarks from senior US officials, particularly compared to Vice President JD Vance’s harsh critique of European values at the same conference one year ago. However, many observers noted that Rubio’s proposal did not amount to a partnership of equals but rather reflected Trump administration priorities.
Rubio acknowledged that Americans may appear direct and urgent but said this stemmed from deep concern about Europe’s future and the intertwined destinies of both continents.
“We want Europe to be strong. We believe that Europe must survive,” Rubio stated, adding that the US did not want a Europe that was weak or burdened by guilt or shame.
“We in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline,” he said. “We do not seek to separate, but to revitalize an old friendship and renew the greatest civilization in human history.”
Shared Mistakes and Reform Agenda
Rubio argued that both Europe and the US had made shared mistakes, including overreliance on globalization, expanding welfare systems at the expense of defense, and what he described as adherence to a climate cult.
He said controlling national borders was not driven by hatred but was a fundamental act of national sovereignty, warning that failure to do so threatened social stability and could lead to what he called civilizational erasure.
On global institutions, Rubio said reform, not dismantling, was needed. He suggested that under Trump’s leadership, the US had taken more decisive action in crises such as Gaza and Ukraine than multilateral bodies.
“The United Nations still has tremendous potential to be a tool for good in the world,” he told the conference. “But we cannot ignore that, today, on the most pressing matters before us, it has no answers and has played virtually no role. It could not solve the war in Gaza.”
European Response Mixed
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was very much reassured by Rubio’s speech, describing him as a good friend and strong ally. She said she understood that some in the Trump administration have a harsher tone but welcomed Rubio’s clear message that the US wants a strong Europe in the alliance.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had opened the conference on Friday by calling for the United States and Europe to repair and revive transatlantic trust together, stating that even the US is not powerful enough to go it alone in a world whose old order no longer exists.
French President Emmanuel Macron said this is the right time for a strong Europe and called for a new framework to deal with an aggressive Russia once the fighting in Ukraine ends.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the conference that Europe must be ready to fight and do whatever it takes to protect its people, values, and way of life. He called for Europe to focus on decreasing some dependencies and creating a more European North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Limited Reference to Ukraine
Although Rubio made only limited reference to Ukraine in his main speech, he said discussions had narrowed differences between parties, even if the remaining issues were the most difficult.
In a question and answer session following his address, Rubio said the Trump administration does not know if Russia is serious about ending the war. He stated that what we cannot answer and what we are going to continue to test is whether there is an outcome that Ukraine can live with and that Russia will accept.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been in Munich since Friday meeting multiple allies, addressed the conference later on Saturday. He criticized the frequent discussion of concessions in the context of Ukraine rather than Russia.
Rubio concluded his speech by urging Europe to align with the US approach, stating that this is the path that President Trump and the United States has embarked upon and asking European leaders to join on that path.
The speech comes amid worldwide upheaval, including the possibility of US air strikes on Iran and Russia’s war in Ukraine nearing its fourth anniversary. Rubio is leading the largest US delegation ever to the Munich Security Conference, comprising more than a quarter of the US Senate.
