Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a keynote address at the 62nd Annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday, stressing the enduring connection between the United States and Europe and calling for strengthened alliances in the face of evolving global challenges.

Rubio highlighted shared historical, cultural, and spiritual ties, noting that Europe’s contributions to Western civilization, from classical liberalism and the rule of law to scientific advancements and cultural achievements, remain foundational to the United States. “We are bound to one another by the deepest bonds that nations could share, forged by centuries of shared history, Christian faith, culture, heritage, language, ancestry, and the sacrifices our forefathers made together,” Rubio said.

The secretary framed U.S.-Europe relations as mutually vital. “Ultimately, our destiny is and will always be intertwined with yours, because we know that the fate of Europe will never be irrelevant to our own,” he said, adding that disagreements with allies stem from concern rather than conflict.

Rubio also addressed contemporary security challenges, calling for stricter control of national borders and denouncing mass migration as “a crisis which is transforming and destabilizing societies all across the West.” He emphasized that border control is a matter of national sovereignty, not xenophobia, and warned that failure to act threatens social cohesion and the survival of Western civilization.

The secretary called for reforms to international institutions such as the United Nations and stressed that Europe must remain strong and self-reliant. “We want allies who can defend themselves so that no adversary will ever be tempted to test our collective strength,” Rubio said.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the conference, Rubio indicated that Europeans are seeking clarity on the U.S.’s intentions and vision for the transatlantic relationship. “The world is changing very fast right in front of us,” he said. “The old world is gone, frankly, the world that I grew up in, and we live in a new era in geopolitics, and it’s going to require all of us to sort of reexamine what that looks like and what our role is going to be.”

Rubio’s speech sought to balance a message of reassurance with a call for mutual responsibility, portraying the United States as committed to a strong, culturally proud, and capable Europe in an era of global uncertainty.