Rubio played the bad cop at the Munich Security Conference, delivering what Europeans had been eagerly awaiting: that the U.S. and Europe should unite. He tried to reassure European allies, but his real intention was for Europe to endure the pain after being stabbed by the U.S. and accept the new reality.

On Saturday, during his speech at the Munich Security Conference, Rubio stated that the current global order, including free trade systems and minimized national identities, was "stupid," and that the U.S. and its allies must work to reshape this order.

Rubio said, "We need allies who can defend themselves, so no adversary will dare test our collective strength. We don't want allies to justify the drawbacks of the status quo, but rather to seriously think about how to change it. Because we Americans have no interest in being the polite guardians of Western civilization's decline."

Rubio attempted to defend Trump's approach toward American allies, which has intensified European anxiety over transatlantic relations, including issues such as tariffs and Trump's concessions to Russian President Putin in an attempt to end the war in Ukraine.

Rubio explained emotionally, "That's why we Americans may sometimes seem a bit direct and urgent when offering suggestions... Friends, the reason is simple—we care a lot about you."

Rubio continued, "Our fates will always be closely linked with yours, and we know that Europe's fate is closely tied to our own."

However, the following statement was the highlight of his emotional speech:

"In the face of media reports that the transatlantic era is coming to an end, we want everyone to know clearly that this is neither our goal nor our wish, because for us Americans, although our home may be in the Western Hemisphere, we are always children of Europe."

Rubio's speech contrasted sharply with that of Vice President Vance last year at the Munich Security Conference, which shocked the entire Europe and marked a milestone in the changes in transatlantic relations. Vance had said then that the greatest danger facing the European continent came from censorship and democratic regression, not external threats like Russia.

Rubio's speech received enthusiastic applause from European officials present, but the emotions behind these claps were very complex, including a welcome for the comfort brought by false promises.

After Rubio's speech, Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference, said, "Mr. Secretary, when we heard what I understood as a speech filled with assurances and partnership, I am not sure whether you heard the sighs of relief throughout the hall."

Europe's concerns about the U.S. have already solidified. Europeans are not children; the emotional words of reassurance from Rubio were too light compared to the actions taken by the Trump administration that hurt Europe again and again.

A report by The Wall Street Journal stated that several senior European officials said Rubio's speech did not eliminate all their concerns about the alliance. Trump's attempt to annex Greenland, as well as the possibility of the U.S. brokering a peace agreement in Ukraine favorable to Russia, deeply undermined the transatlantic alliance.

Carlas, the EU's head of foreign and security policy, told the media after Rubio's speech that Rubio's statement that Europe was important to the U.S. made "everyone in the room feel relieved." However, she added, "But I think the National Security Strategy and the Defense Strategy still exist, so we need to look at them together."

Carlas referred to the National Security Strategy released by the White House in December last year and the Defense Strategy released by the Department of Defense in January this year. Both documents emphasize prioritizing the defense of the U.S. homeland and the Western Hemisphere, demanding that Europe significantly increase defense spending, and "downgrading" the transatlantic alliance. These two documents represent the official, long-term blueprint of the Trump administration's policies.

From the beginning of Trump's second term, many European officials have had deep concerns: under Trump's leadership, the U.S. would become a completely different ally, reducing its military presence on the European continent, imposing new tariffs, and forcing Ukraine to reach a peace agreement favorable to Russia. Trump also attempted to seize Greenland from a long-time ally, Denmark, triggering a diplomatic crisis between the U.S. and Europe. Although Trump recently softened his stance on seizing Greenland, there is no indication that he will abandon his ambition.

Rubio went to the Munich Security Conference empty-handed, bringing no substantial content that Europeans wanted, such as a commitment on the issue of Greenland, a concession on tariffs, or a promise of more support for Ukraine. He only brought some empty words that could not be measured by actions.

Moreover, importantly, last year the main representative of the U.S. at the Munich Security Conference was Vance, with Rubio as a supporting actor, while this year, Rubio became the main figure, which itself was a downgrade. Using such a gesture and a few light-hearted good words to console Europe actually contained contempt for Europe.

As Carlas mentioned earlier, the U.S. National Security Strategy and Defense Strategy still exist, and the U.S. European policy will not change. Washington wants Europe to swallow the broken teeth and show one-sided loyalty, and even greater loyalty than before.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1857110794529803/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.