Europe defends NATO, US ties at security gathering

MUNICH - European leaders strove to shore up relations with the United States and insisted they were strengthening their defences as they gathered for a security conference on Feb 13 under heavy pressure from US President Donald Trump.

Political and business leaders, military officers and intelligence agents convened at two fortified hotels to talk international security and stability at the Munich Security Conference (MSC).

The event comes at a time of strained ties between Europe and the US, after Mr Trump threatened to take over Greenland and criticised European countries’ record on immigration.

Russia’s war against Ukraine, which is set to enter its fifth year in February, will be high on the agenda, alongside efforts by European NATO members to build up their defences.

European leaders ahead of the gathering defended their security commitments and vowed to strengthen NATO, after Mr Trump called it into question and accused allies of not spending enough on defence.

Europe is “stepping up... taking more of a leadership role within NATO” and “taking more care of its own defence”, the alliance’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte said at an event on transatlantic relations on the sidelines of the conference.

“A strong Europe in a strong NATO means that the transatlantic bond will be stronger than ever.”

US-Europe relations

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron were scheduled to make an address on the first day of the conference on Feb 13.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived on Feb 13, is due to speak at the annual gathering the next day, as is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, organisers said.

Mr Rubio is seen as a more conciliatory choice of envoy, a year after US Vice-President J.D. Vance used the same stage to attack European policies on immigration and free speech, shocking European allies.

Mr Rubio also met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Feb 13 on the sidelines of the conference, an AFP journalist said, at a time of heightened Washington-Beijing tensions.

Meanwhile, relations between Europe and the US, a traditional ally and guarantor of the continent’s security for decades, are under pressure.

Since returning to the White House in 2025, Mr Trump has frequently criticised European countries for not sharing enough of the burden on common defence.

Ties plunged further in January when Mr Trump stepped up threats to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, forcing European nations to stand firm in protest.

Ukraine discussions

Overall, more than 60 heads of state and government and around 100 foreign and defence ministers were to descend on the southern German city amid high security, with about 5,000 police officers deployed for the event.

Mr Merz was to open the conference on Feb 13 at 1.45pm local time, while the French President will close the day’s official programme with a speech at 7pm, according to the MSC agenda.

The two were scheduled to meet Mr Rubio and British Premier Keir Starmer and Mr Zelensky on the afternoon of Feb 13 for talks on Ukraine.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will also address the conference over the course of the day.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the Munich conference “stands like no other for what is in the DNA of our foreign and security policy, namely the transatlantic bond”.

“I believe we are working on this even in difficult times,” he added.

“We will only survive them if we preserve our alliances, if we stand by what has always made us strong... that is the most successful defence alliance in the world: NATO.” AFP