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Several European leaders and high-ranking officials reacted on Saturday, February 14, to the speech by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference, where the head of U.S. diplomacy described his country as the "son of Europe."
Rubio delivered a message of unity that, according to Reuters, provided reassurance but also brought new criticism towards allies after a year of strained relations.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that Rubio's speech "calmed her a lot" and referred to him as a "good friend" and a "steadfast ally," emphasizing that it was "very reassuring" to hear him.
He also emphasized that Rubio was "very clear" in stating: "We want a strong Europe in the Alliance," something that —he assured— the European Union is working on "intensely."
The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, stated that in Europe, it can "only be applauded" that Rubio referred to the "common legacy," highlighting that the American pointed out that some challenges cannot be faced by a single nation, no matter how powerful it may be.
Barrot added that the European strategy will not change and reiterated the goal of "building a strong and independent Europe."
For his part, Germany's Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, noted that Rubio delivered "the speech" he was expecting and described him as a "true ally."
He said the message was clear about the need to remain faithful to the “rules-based international order,” with the UN at the forefront, and highlighted the key phrase: “Let’s do it again.”
The Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, expressed that she was "very satisfied" with the tone and considered that the content was largely what Europe expected: unity and firmness in defending values, as well as a commitment to the international community and international law.
On the eve of the speech, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also mentioned Rubio in Munich, calling him "a good friend," and adding that he will "certainly" continue to urge Europeans to take on a more prominent role within the Alliance.
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