By Humeyra Pamuk
MUNICH, Feb 14 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a message of unity to Europeans on Saturday, saying Washington does not intend to abandon the transatlantic alliance, but that Europe’s leaders had made a number of policy mistakes and need to change course.
Rubio’s overall message of togetherness at the annual Munich Security Conference was relatively well-received by the gathering of European diplomats and security officials.
Even as Rubio at times needled European policymakers, his address contrasted sharply with Vice President JD Vance’s address here a year ago, in which he argued that the greatest danger to the continent came from censorship and democratic backsliding – rather than external threats like Russia.
“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,” Rubio told the crowd.
The address was notably short on specifics. Rubio did not mention Russia – the continent’s main geopolitical foil – during the roughly half-hour address, nor did he even bring up NATO by name, the continent’s main security bloc.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; writing by Gram Slattery; editing by Sarah Marsh and Mark Heinrich)
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