OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
1:32 PM – Saturday, February 14, 2026
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reassured European allies at a national security conference in Munich, Germany, that the U.S. cares “deeply” about the transatlantic alliance, emphasizing shared Western values.
The 62nd Annual Munich Security Conference coincided with the Valentine’s Day holiday on Saturday, where Rubio delivered remarks for about half an hour.
Rubio declared at the conference that the United States’ “destiny is and always will be intertwined” with Europe’s, because “the fate of Europe will never be irrelevant to our own.”
He argued that the conference’s titular subject of discussion, national security, is not merely technical in nature or a series of questions and answers.
“The fundamental question we must answer at the outset is what exactly are we defending?” said Rubio. “Because armies do not fight for abstractions. Armies fight for a people; armies fight for a nation. Armies fight for a way of life. And that is what we are defending: a great civilization that has every reason to be proud of its history, confident of its future, and aims to always be the master of its own economic and political destiny.”
The secretary of state graciously credited Europe with planting the “seeds of liberty” that led to the birth of the United States and the expansion of Western civilization to another continent.
“For the United States and Europe, we belong together. America was founded 250 years ago, but the roots began here on this continent long before,” Rubio stated, adding, “We are part of one civilization – Western civilization. We are bound to one another by the deepest bonds that nations could share, forged by centuries of shared history, Christian faith, culture, heritage, language, ancestry, and the sacrifices.”
“This is why we Americans may sometimes come off as a little direct and urgent in our counsel. This is why President Trump demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe,” he said. “The reason why, my friends, is because we care deeply. We care deeply about your future and ours.”
One issue of national security that Rubio addressed at the conference was the ongoing Russian war with Ukraine. He explained that though negotiations have weeded out many questions in the conflict, the remaining ones are the most pressing and complex.
“We don’t know if the Russians are serious about ending the war,” Rubio admitted. “They say they are.”
In the meantime, the secretary explained, the U.S. has imposed additional sanctions on Russian oil and convinced India to stop purchasing oil from the country.
“What we can’t answer — but we’re going to continue to test — is whether there is an outcome that Ukraine can live with and that Russia will accept,” Rubio said.
He noted that the fact that military officials on both sides of the issue met last week for the first time in years shows that progress has been made.
“We want an alliance that boldly races into the future,” Rubio concluded. “And the only fear we have is the fear of the shame of not leaving our nations prouder, stronger, and wealthier for our children. An alliance ready to defend our people, to safeguard our interests, and to preserve the freedom of action that allows us to shape our own destiny.”
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