Marco Rubio sends message of unity to Europe

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cast the United States as the "child of Europe" in a message of unity on Saturday.

According to Reuters, the secretary of state, through his message,  offered some reassurance as well as levelling more criticism at allies after a year of turmoil in transatlantic relations.

Rubio was addressing the annual Munich Security Conference, where Europe's leading powers have tried to project their own independence and strength while straining to keep a long-time alliance with the US under President Donald Trump alive.

The speech delivered a degree of respite to European countries who fear being left in the lurch on anything from the war in Ukraine to international trade ructions in a rapidly shifting global order.

But it was short on concrete commitments and made no mention of Russia, raising questions about whether Rubio's tone, more emollient than that of Vice President JD Vance at the same event a year ago, would change the underlying dynamics.

"In a time of headlines heralding the end of the transatlantic era, let it be known and clear to all that this is neither our goal nor our wish, because for us Americans, our home may be in the Western Hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe," Rubio said.

"For the United States and Europe, we belong together," he said in the speech, which drew a standing ovation at the end.