The US secretary of state spoke beneath the Acropolis, calling for rebuilt alliances and a European awakening. He cited rising European defence spending as a sign of a ‘generational shift’; no formal European reaction had been reported at the time of writing.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke below the Acropolis in Athens on 8 October (Taiwan time), saying Western civilisation faces multiple threats and stands at a crossroads. According to an AFP report carried by the Liberty Times, the speech was heavy with praise for the ancient Greeks, and Rubio called for alliances to be rebuilt and for Europe to wake up.
광고 문의 · 300×250The core message
Rubio described the moment as a turning point not only for American history but for civilisation as a whole. He said that if the West does not act now it will lose the ability to act at all, and that the United States under the Trump administration has made that choice. As examples of what he called pursuing national strength without apology, he listed regaining control of key supply chains, reviving industry, rebuilding defence and seeking leadership in future technology and industry.
To face such threats together, he said, institutions and alliances must be rebuilt. Addressing Europe, he said he believes it can awaken from a long slumber and rekindle the flame lit there thousands of years ago. He said he saw encouraging signs in Europe, including sharply higher defence spending, a steady flow of new partnerships and programmes, and expanding manufacturing, and that Washington hopes these mark the start of a ‘generational shift’.
Background to the visit
The trip was for the sixth Greece-US Strategic Dialogue. Greek outlet To Vima reported that Rubio was due to arrive on the evening of the 6th and leave on the morning of the 8th after meeting Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The agenda was expected to include defence and security, trade and investment, energy, counterterrorism and Eastern Mediterranean cooperation; Greece is seen as a regional energy-security hub and was expected to raise Turkish provocations.
In a February speech in Europe, Rubio argued that mass migration threatens the continent and urged it to defend Christian civilisation. As then, the latest remarks may draw mixed reviews in European politics: some will welcome Washington’s push for higher defence spending, while others may be uneasy at allies being addressed through the frame of ‘civilisation’.
No concrete reactions from European governments or analysts to the Athens speech had been reported at the time of writing, and we will follow up as they emerge. What can be confirmed is that the address is a message to Europe from a United States about a month before its midterm elections, and continues Washington’s long-standing call for allies to share more of the burden.
