Is the West in Decline — or Just Changing?
This year’s Munich Security Conference exposed a growing divide over what the West stands for and where it is headed. American, Ukrainian and European leaders gathered with the transatlantic relationship under intense scrutiny, and the tone was anything but unified.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that the West is drifting into decline and needs rescuing. He warned that the United States has “no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers” of what he described as a managed downturn. While his speech was less confrontational than last year’s address by Vice-President JD Vance, Rubio’s message was similar: misguided policies on climate and migration have weakened Western resolve.
Still, Rubio emphasized that America sees itself as deeply tied to Europe, calling the U.S. a “child of Europe” whose destiny remains intertwined with the continent.
That framing did not go unchallenged. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas rejected the idea that Europe needs saving, dismissing claims of a “woke” and declining continent. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for her part, said she felt reassured about transatlantic ties after Rubio’s remarks, even as the debate over values and direction continued.
Ukraine and Europe’s Place in Peace Talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used the stage to criticize Europe’s limited role in U.S.-brokered peace efforts with Russia. He called it a “big mistake” that European leaders are largely absent from negotiations, despite being the largest providers of military and financial aid to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy warned that sidelining Europe weakens the continent’s voice at a time when it will likely bear much of the responsibility for enforcing any future security guarantees. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda bluntly suggested that Moscow has little interest in speaking with Europe at all, while Washington appears willing to accept that reality.
French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the urgency of rethinking Europe’s security architecture, saying the continent must prepare for a more aggressive Russia and a shifting global balance of power. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that the post-World War II international order “no longer exists,” warning that Europe can no longer assume its freedom is guaranteed.
Defence, Nuclear Questions and the Greenland Tension
Security concerns went beyond Ukraine. Macron revealed that France has opened a strategic dialogue with Germany and other partners about how its nuclear deterrent could fit into Europe’s broader defence posture. The discussion reflects uncertainty about the long-term reliability of U.S. security guarantees and renewed debate about Europe’s own responsibilities.
Not all leaders are convinced nuclear expansion is the answer. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that nuclear deterrence is a risky and costly gamble rather than a true safeguard.
Tensions also lingered over Greenland after former U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his interest in the Arctic territory. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Washington’s ambitions have not faded, calling Denmark’s territorial integrity a red line. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen described the pressure as unacceptable but expressed willingness to cooperate within the NATO alliance.
Von der Leyen added another layer to the debate by urging the European Union to breathe life into its own mutual defence clause, Article 42(7), arguing that collective defence within the bloc must become more than just treaty language. With Europe launching an €800 billion defence readiness plan, she said trust, capability and faster decision-making will be critical in an era where old assumptions about global order are rapidly fading.
