Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to steady strained transatlantic ties on Saturday, telling European leaders at the Munich Security Conference that the United States remains committed to its longstanding partnership with Europe despite recent tensions over trade, security and rhetoric from Washington.
Rubio’s address marked a shift in tone from earlier remarks by President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, whose criticisms of European policies had unsettled allies.
He received a standing ovation after declaring that reports of an “end of the transatlantic era” were misplaced and emphasizing shared heritage and interests between the United States and Europe
Rubio told the audience, "In a time of headlines heralding the end of the transatlantic era, let it be known and clear to all that this is neither our goal nor our wish, because for us Americans, our home may be in the Western Hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe."
He added, "For the United States and Europe, we belong together."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was reassured by the speech, while Germany’s foreign minister described Rubio as a partner.
Others were more cautious, with some diplomats and lawmakers questioning whether the warmer tone signaled a substantive policy shift.
Rubio also criticized Europe’s migration and climate policies, warning of what he called unprecedented levels of mass migration and arguing against what he described as the West’s “managed decline.”
He defended U.S. interventions abroad and criticized the United Nations as ineffective in addressing conflicts from Gaza to Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine loomed over the conference, with allies wary of how Washington will approach negotiations with Moscow.
Rubio said it was unclear whether Russia was serious about ending the war, noting that key issues in talks had narrowed to the most difficult questions.
U.S.-brokered peace discussions are set to resume next week in Geneva.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for progress but said negotiations sometimes felt as though the sides were discussing “completely different things.”
President Trump said, "It takes two to tango."
The remarks underscored ongoing uncertainty about the trajectory of both the war and the broader U.S.-Europe relationship.