Four years ago, American government officials traveled to Munich with satellite images and intercepted radio communications. They warned of an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine. Many European leaders waved it off. Vladimir Putin was bluffing, they said at the time. A few days later, the war began, now entering its fifth year. This year, the roles have shifted. The small American delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke primarily about negotiations, about a possible end to the fighting. The Europeans, by contrast, issued warnings. Even a ceasefire, the tone in many discussions suggested, would not end Putin\u2019s course. Sabotage, cyberattacks, drone overflights, damaged undersea cables - for many governments, this is already part of a covert conflict on NATO territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rubio sought a conciliatory tone. Europe and America belong together, he said. The United States wants a strong Europe. The history of the two world wars shows that their destinies are intertwined. The applause was noticeably warmer than the previous year, when Vice President JD Vance had sharply criticized European governments from the same stage over their handling of right wing parties and issues of free speech. Yet one thing stood out: Russia played only a minor role in Rubio\u2019s speech. No clear warning to Putin, no mention of the accusations by several European states that Alexei Navalny had been killed with a banned poison. In diplomatic circles, this omission did not go unnoticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n