Overview
- Munich police estimated up to 250,000 people gathered on the Theresienwiese to back Iranians, with many exiles carrying photos of victims as Reza Pahlavi urged freedom and a democratic future.
- At the Munich Security Conference, Chancellor Friedrich Merz pressed to end Europe’s over‑reliance on the United States and argued for a rebalanced partnership, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington wants a strong Europe.
- Senior European figures reacted coolly to Rubio’s pitch, labeling it a “poisoned love letter” and urging EU self‑reliance, as Rubio’s visits to Slovakia and Hungary underscored U.S. outreach to skeptical leaders.
- New analyses reporting epibatidine traces in Alexei Navalny’s tissue prompted Britain and several European governments to publicly accuse Russia of killing the Kremlin critic, with calls for legal steps and tougher sanctions.
- Indirect U.S.–Iran talks on the nuclear file are set to resume in Geneva today against a backdrop of heightened military signaling, adding urgency to Europe’s security calculations.