Commentary
Democratic Security
The Budget Moment of Truth
26 February 2026
Marco Rubio’s Munich speech sounded like continuity, not the paradigm shift Washington once promised. Yet beneath the smoother rhetoric was a harder message – the transatlantic bond is becoming conditional and Central Europe is once again facing difficult choices.
Europe’s readings of the United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s speech at the Munich Security Conference have largely converged. We got a more digestible sign of continuity, not a paradigm shift that the Vice President JD Vance boasted of in 2025.
Clearly, Rubio’s rhetoric was smoother and the applause warmer than in earlier iterations of the administration’s messages to Europe. But the fundamentals endure. If the cleft is not widening, it is more visible. Tone can sometimes become substance. Not this time.
Rubio’s outstretched hand appeared conciliatory, but it was riddled with conditions. The transatlantic bond now sounds less like a legacy and more like a contract. His message to Europe was clear: embrace the culture wars and civilisational discourse – and the partnership holds. Demur – and our hand will drop.
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