Rubio wants to bring relations between the United States and Europe closer together, but the old continent wants to promote independence

US Secretary of StateMarco Rubio praised relations with Europe at the Munich Security Conferenceon Saturday and softened the tone of his harsh speech a year ago by the country's Vice-President, J.D. Vance, but advocated changes in relations with the Old Continent.

Rubio has essentially declared that the US does not want to separate from Europe, but to revitalize old friendship and "renew humanity's greatest civilization." He has proclaimed that a new world order is "inevitable," and has argued that everyone should lead it together.

A year ago, Vance warned in the same place that the biggest threat to Europe was not coming from Russia or China, but from "inside." . He said that "it has lost fundamental values," that "freedom of expression has been lost," and that "alternative voices" like the ultra right have been vetoed.

Today, Rubio has pointed out that America's disagreements with Europe not only compromise the economic and military connection between the two powers, but also the spiritual and the cultural, and has advocated overcoming these disagreements by emphasizing that they are related to migration, climate and trade policies.

The US, he said, "is paving the way for a new century of prosperity," and "we want to do it together with you, our most precious allies and our oldest friends," added Rubio, who also said that the US is willing to engage in foreign policy alone.

"We want Europe to be strong, we believe that Europe must survive, we know that our destiny is and will always be linked to theirs," he added.

France says Rubio's message will not change its strategy for an "independent" EU

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Marco Rubio's statements will not change Paris's "strategy" to promote "an independent and strong Europe."

The French minister has stated that, 'however brilliant the speeches heard in Munich may be', Paris will continue with the pro-European road map.  'There are challenges that cannot be solved by a single nation, however rich and powerful it may be,' said the Foreign Minister.

Von der Leyen proclaims that Europe has no choice but to promote independence

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has argued that the current reality makes it clear that Europe must be independent in the face of internal and external threats. She has said that in order to enter into a new relationship with the US, Europe must be based on its security, defence, trade and digital technology.

"We are facing a clear threat from external forces that are trying to weaken our Union internally. We are experiencing the return of hostile competition and power relations. They are challenging European life in new ways. In all areas, from territorial to tariff or technological regulation. All this represents a reality: Europe has no choice but to increase its independence," Von der Leyen warned during his appearance at the Munich Security Conference.

Amnesty International denounces Rubio's speech in Munich for having a "terribly racist" view of the world

Amnesty International's Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, has denounced Rubio's speech as showing an "incredibly racist" view of current reality, claiming that relations between the US and Europe are based on representation of Western civilization.