European leaders on Friday called for a reset in relations with the United States as they met at a major security conference overshadowed by US President Donald Trump’s barbs at traditional transatlantic ties.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged “a new transatlantic partnership”, while French President Emmanuel Macron called for “a strong Europe” as more than 60 leaders gathered for the annual Munich Security Conference.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is meanwhile due to tell the conference on Saturday that Europe is “a sleeping giant” and must rely less on the United States for its defence, his office said in a preview of his remarks.
This year’s conference comes at a time of strained relations between Europe and the United States, after Trump threatened to take over Greenland and criticised “decaying” and “weak” European nations.
Russia’s war against Ukraine, set to enter its fifth year this month, is high on the agenda, alongside efforts by European NATO members to increase their defence budgets in line with Trump’s demands, amid concerns that Moscow could seek to expand further into their territory.
European leaders at the gathering defended their security commitments and the NATO alliance, which has been unsettled by Trump’s rhetoric.
“Being part of NATO is not only Europe’s competitive advantage. It is also the United States’ competitive advantage. So let us repair and revive transatlantic trust together,” Merz said.
“In an era of great-power rivalry, even the United States will not be powerful enough to go it alone.”
Greater European autonomy
The gathering comes a year after US Vice President JD Vance used the conference platform to criticise European policies on immigration and free speech, shocking allies across the continent.
Macron firmly defended Europe in his speech, saying, “Everyone should take their cue from us instead of criticising us.”
Starmer’s office said his speech would outline “a vision of European security and greater European autonomy that does not herald US withdrawal but answers the call for more burden sharing in full and renews the ties that have served us so well”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived on Friday, is also scheduled to speak at the conference on Saturday, as is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, organisers said.
A German government source said Merz and Rubio met at the conference and discussed “Ukraine, the status of negotiations with Russia and further support for the country, particularly in terms of military aid.” ”.
They also discussed Iran and NATO, and “Rubio praised Germany’s steps to strengthen the alliance,” the source added.
Rubio also met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of the conference, at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing.
They agreed to strengthen cooperation, and Wang told Rubio that “dialogue is better than confrontation, cooperation is better than conflict, and win-win outcomes are better than zero-sum games”, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
Rubio held a 15-minute meeting with the prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland regarding the future sovereignty of the Arctic island. Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen described the talks as “constructive”.
Relations deteriorated last month when Trump escalated threats to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, prompting European nations to stand firm in protest.
Ukraine discussions
Merz, Macron and the leaders of the European Union, Canada and NATO met Zelensky on Friday for talks on Ukraine.
A US official said Rubio did not attend those talks owing to a packed schedule but was “engaging on Russia-Ukraine in many of his meetings” in Munich.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said he discussed ending the Russian invasion with Wang, whose country is a close partner of Moscow.
Wang told Sybiga that Beijing was “willing to provide Ukraine with new humanitarian aid”, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.
Macron, meanwhile, said a new framework was needed to address “an aggressive Russia” once the fighting in Ukraine ends.
“If it makes sense to talk, we are willing to talk,” Merz said. “But as you can see with the American side, Russia is not yet willing to talk seriously.”
Zelensky, urged by Trump to “get moving” on a deal to end the war, visited a drone factory near Munich with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius before meeting European leaders.
“It is good to have a strong partnership with the Americans… but I think Europe needs an independent and very strong defence industry,” he said.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on the sidelines of the conference that Europe was “stepping up, taking more of a leadership role within NATO” and “taking greater responsibility for its own defence”.
“A strong Europe in a strong NATO means the transatlantic bond will be stronger than ever,” Rutte said.
