The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has accepted the invitation to attend the Munich Security Conference (MSC). He will be present from 13 to 15 February, where he will consult with his U.S. counterparts on bilateral cooperation in the Euro‑Atlantic security arena, according to Deputy Secretary of State Tommy Pigott.
After the conference, Rubio will travel to Bratislava and Budapest to meet Slovak and Hungarian government officials. The discussions will focus on the U.S. commitment to resolving global conflicts and on the energy partnerships between the United States and both countries, Pigott said.
Rubio’s itinerary aligns with Washington’s new national security strategy, whose aim is to restore the United States’ “energy dominance”. Slovakia and Hungary still import oil from Russia and are preparing to sue the European Union over the planned gas‑stoppage scheduled for 2027.
The strategy also emphasizes that the United States seeks to support its political allies in Europe, noting that the growing influence of patriotic parties “provides ample reason for optimism”. The objective is to help Europe correct its current course. In both Slovakia and Hungary, national‑conservative governments that question the EU’s liberal direction are in line with U.S. policy priorities.
Earlier this year it was reported that Vice‑President J.D. Vance would likely not attend the MSC. Last year, Vice‑President Vance had sparked controversy in Munich by criticizing allied Europeans and accusing them of severely restricting freedom of speech.
The Munich Security Conference is regarded as one of the foremost global forums for security‑policy debate. Historically, the U.S. Vice‑President has frequently participated, underscoring its importance to American foreign‑policy engagement.