The SPD’s outlook on improving trans‑Atlantic relations has become only marginal after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s speech at the Munich Security Conference.
“As Rubio’s remarks differ in tone from J.D. Vance’s address the year before, they still offer no reason for reassurance” said Siemtje Möller, the SPD’s deputy parliamentary group leader, to the Sunday edition of the “Tagesspiegel”. “The United States appears to have realized how much trust had recently been squandered and is now trying to limit the damage”. She added that a friendship cannot hinge solely on Europe behaving exactly as the U.S. envisions.
Möller was referring to Rubio’s invitation to Europeans to accompany the U.S. on its path. She noted that Rubio, who is responsible for the national‑security strategy, did not soften its central premises. “Instead, the overly simplistic and wood‑cut‑style vision of a Europe restored to its former cultural grandeur-presented by Rubio in his call to noble civilizations-remains highly problematic” she said.
