Munich Security Conference

Rubio: "The world is facing a defining moment"

The world is facing a "defining moment". This is what US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on his way to the Munich Security Conference, RFE/RL reports.

“The world is changing very quickly before our eyes. The old world is gone and we are living in a new geopolitical era. It will require all of us to rethink what it looks like and what our role should be,” he says.

Rubio represents the United States this year, after last year’s high-profile visit by Vice President JD Vance, which set off alarm bells in governments across Europe.

The secretary of state plans to give a less confrontational, but philosophical, speech when he addresses the visiting world leaders, according to information provided to the AP.

Before boarding the plane to Germany, he told reporters that the United States and Europe are closely intertwined.

“Most people in this country can trace both their cultural and family heritage to Europe. So we have to talk about it,” he said.

Frederiksen: Will meet Rubio to discuss Greenland

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says she plans to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss Greenland, Reuters reports. The meeting will be held during the Munich Security Conference.

- We have planned several different meetings with American politicians, says the Prime Minister.

After Donald Trump's statement about "taking over Greenland", a diplomatic crisis has arisen between Denmark and the US. In January, summits were held between the countries, where the future of Greenland was discussed. The US backed down from the statement that it did not rule out a military takeover of the island, but made several demands on Denmark and Europe.

Analysis: Ukraine's future and EU nuclear weapons at stake

It is with sky-high stakes that world leaders gather today for the annual Munich Security Conference, several analysts conclude. SVT's Christoffer Wendick highlights the US's position in Europe, which has taken a real turn in the past year.

"Now the message seems to have sunk in, and President Trump's wild throws over the past year have caused Europe to lose confidence in the US," he writes.

One issue where much is changing concerns Europe's nuclear weapons capabilities, writes Bloomberg. For the first time since the Cold War, European leaders are now considering developing their own nuclear arsenal for deterrence purposes.

The security conference usually involves high-level negotiations about the war in Ukraine, but this year no major progress is expected, according to sources to Politico.

“It will likely serve as a clear reminder of how badly the negotiations have stalled,” write the newspaper’s Felicia Schwartz, Paul Mcleary and Jack Detsch in an analytical text.

Security in Europe 

US: Europe must strengthen its combat capabilities

Europe must strengthen its combat capabilities within NATO. This is what the Pentagon's policy director Elbridge Colby told the alliance's defense ministers during a meeting on Thursday, The Guardian reports.

- This means making difficult decisions about force structure, readiness, stockpiles and industrial capacity that reflect the realities of modern conflicts rather than peacetime policies, he says.

Colby also says that the US remains dedicated to NATO's Article Five and will continue to act as a nuclear umbrella. But with China considered the biggest threat to the US, Europe needs to take a greater leadership role on its own continent.

- The good news is that this alliance always finds a way forward, to unite and refocus on our overall goal, to protect a billion people, says Secretary General Mark Rutte.