Overview
- In a conciliatory address, the U.S. secretary of state said the United States and Europe "belong together" and signaled Washington does not seek to abandon the alliance.
- European leaders used the forum to press a reset in transatlantic ties and to push for greater strategic autonomy, with Macron urging a faster European rearmament and a stronger geopolitical role.
- Merz warned the old rules-based order "no longer exists," called for repairing trust with Washington, and said Berlin has opened talks with France on a European nuclear deterrent within NATO's framework.
- Rubio met Merz for talks that included Ukraine and supply chains, held separate discussions with Denmark and Greenland leaders on the island’s future, and met China’s Wang Yi, according to officials.
- Ukraine shaped the agenda as European leaders met Volodymyr Zelensky, while Rubio skipped one Ukraine meeting, underscoring Europe’s push to be central to any eventual peace efforts.