U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said transatlantic relations face a «defining moment» as global leaders gathered for the Munich Security Conference on Friday.
Speaking ahead of the conference in Munich, Rubio acknowledged rapid geopolitical change but struck a notably warmer tone toward European allies after a turbulent year marked by tensions between Washington and its partners.
«The world is changing very fast right in front of us,» Rubio said. «The Old World is gone… and we live in a new era in geopolitics.»
He added that the United States remains «deeply tied to Europe» and stressed the need for dialogue about the future of the alliance.
On the sidelines of the conference, Rubio met China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, underscoring the high-stakes diplomatic backdrop that includes wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, as well as trade tensions and shifting global power dynamics.
The gathering comes amid growing concern in Europe over U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump, whose administration has unsettled allies with tough rhetoric and controversial policy moves. A recent YouGov poll showed favorability toward the U.S. in major European countries at its lowest level since tracking began in 2016.
European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and French President Emmanuel Macron, are expected to press for unity as security concerns mount.
As nearly 70 heads of state and more than 140 ministers convene in Munich, the conference highlights both the strains and enduring ties that define the transatlantic alliance in an increasingly uncertain world.
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