Munich Security Conference opens amid trans-Atlantic tensions

Deepening transatlantic tensions have dominated the opening day of the Munich Security Conference.

European leaders stressed the need for Europe to defend its own interests amid widening fissures with the United States.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed America's desire to maintain

trans-Atlantic relations despite increasing rift.

This as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that the rule-based world order no longer exists and called on Europe and the U.S. to repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust.

As host of the Munich Security Conference, Merz called for the United States and Europe to repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together,

arguing that being part of NATO is to America's advantage, and the U.S. is not powerful enough to go it alone.

Merz said: "For three generations, trust amongst allies, partners and friends has made NATO the strongest alliance of all times.

Europe knows deeply how precious this is. In the era of great power rivalry, even the United States will not be powerful enough to go it alone.

Dear friends, being a part of NATO is not only Europe's competitive advantage. It's also the United States' competitive advantage, so let's repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together.

We, the Europeans, we are doing our part."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed America's desire to maintain trans-Atlantic relations despite a widening rift.

"We are part of one civilisation, Western civilisation. We are bound to one another by the deepest bonds that nations could share, forged by centuries of shared history,

Christian faith, culture, heritage, language, ancestry and the sacrifices our forefathers made together for the common civilisation to which we have fallen heir."

This as French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe has to learn to become a geopolitical power adding it is the right time for a strong Europe.

"Europe is rearming but we must now go beyond. Europe has to learn to become a geopolitical power. It was not part of our DNA. We considered ourselves as a political construction to provide peace.

We delivered. Second, a single market to provide growth and prosperity. We delivered. Now we have to reform it in this new order. In this new geopolitical environment, Europe has to become a geopolitical power."

The Munich Security Conference is the world's leading forum for debating international security policy and takes place once a year.