Rubio addresses Munich Security Conference and demands 5% NATO defense spending

Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2026, calling on NATO allies to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP while offering assurances of continued US commitment to European security. Rubio was the highest-ranking US official at the conference. European leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, publicly criticized the 5% demand as unrealistic and warned it would increase dependence on the US defense industry.