TL:DR – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio skips Berlin Format meeting on Ukraine
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not attend the Berlin Format meeting on Ukraine during the Munich Security Conference on 13 February 2026.
• Leaders from a dozen European countries, including Ukraine’s Zelenskyy and France’s Macron, attended the meeting.
• The cancellation of Rubio’s attendance was reported to be at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts.
• Rubio met with Syrian, Chinese, and German delegations on Friday prior to the conference.
• German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul reaffirmed the strong transatlantic bond following discussions on Ukraine.
Rubio skips Berlin Format talks on Ukraine in Munich
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not attend the Berlin Format meeting on Ukraine, which took place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) on 13 February 2026. The absence of Rubio is significant as the meeting included leaders from numerous European countries, along with key officials from the European Commission, European Council, and NATO.
This development marks a notable omission at a critical gathering addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The meeting was attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, among others.
Leaders Discuss Ukraine at MSC
The Berlin Format meeting featured discussions on various topics, including Russia’s war on Ukraine and European rearmament. The cancellation of Rubio’s attendance reportedly occurred at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts.
Rubio is scheduled to speak at the conference on Saturday morning. On Friday, he met with delegations from Syria, China, and Germany, where discussions included the United States‘ and Germany’s shared interests in maintaining a strong NATO and supporting a robust Europe. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul noted on X that the meeting reaffirmed the strong transatlantic bond between the US and Germany.
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Interesting read, though I think there are some points that could have been explored further. Would love to see a follow-up on this topic.
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