Munich (d.de/dpa) – In his keynote speech opening the Munich Security Conference on Friday, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for a reset in transatlantic relations – with a clearly stronger, more independent European pillar. The aim was a partnership that would be newly grounded in a “substantive” way, said Merz, stressing that both sides depended on the transatlantic partnership, since global challenges could only be addressed together. “In an age of great powers, the US too will depend on this trust. It too will reach the limits of its own power if it acts alone.”
Merz took a particularly firm stance on values and trade: “The culture wars of the MAGA movement are not ours. Here, freedom of speech ends where it turns against human dignity and the constitution. We don’t believe in tariffs and protectionism, but in free trade. And we remain committed to climate agreements and the World Health Organization.”
On the second day of the conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio took the stage – markedly more cordial in tone than US Vice President JD Vance the previous year, but still setting out clear demands. He said that Europe was “our valued ally and oldest friend” – while at the same time calling for a “revitalised alliance” that did not cling to the status quo. Rubio echoed familiar US criticisms, including on climate policy and migration debates, and called for a Europe that was proud of its history, able to defend itself and placed greater weight on national interests. At the end of his speech he underscored Washington’s claim to leadership: America was once again ready to lead the way into a new century of prosperity – and wished to do so together with Europe.
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