"Weakness of the West" ... the Munich conference ignites deep differences between Washington and its European allies

The security conference in Munich, Germany, has sparked deep differences between the United States and the European Union over the future relationship between the two traditional allies due to the policies of President Donald Trump's administration, in which the Europeans saw their interests being compromised.

On Saturday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo entered into a dispute with European leaders on the issue of Washington's declining influence, describing their statements about his country's withdrawal from the international arena as "greatly exaggerated."

In his speech to the Munich Security Conference, he sought to ease European concerns about the relationship between the two shores of the Atlantic during the Trump era. Pompeo said, "The West is triumphing, and we are triumphing together."

But French President Emmanuel Macron made direct statements of contradiction, warning of "the weakness of the West".

Fears of a decline in the influence of the West in the face of increasing Chinese and Russian influence dominated the annual meeting of world leaders and senior military and diplomatic leaders to discuss security challenges.

In his speech at the opening of the conference, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier noted that the United States rejects "even the idea of ​​an international community" and is moving "at the expense of neighbors and partners."

But Pompeo stressed that "these statements do not reflect reality." "I am pleased to inform you that the idea that the alliance between the two sides of the Atlantic has died is greatly exaggerated."

He pointed out that Washington plays an essential role in preserving the security of Europe by strengthening security in the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at the borders with Russia, in addition to leading international efforts to defeat the Islamic State.

"Is this the America that rejects the international community?" He asked. "The West has a better future than illiberal alternatives," he said, calling on his country's allies to put their "confidence" in the relationship between the two shores of the Atlantic.

Pompeo also used the Munich conference to announce that the United States will finance energy projects in eastern European Union countries as part of efforts to reduce dependence on Russian gas.

During the "Three Seas Initiative" meeting in 2017, Trump offered to provide LNG to the group so that its countries would not be "hostage" to Russian supplies.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who spoke before the audience at the Munich conference, also added his voice to Pompeo in expressing his regret over the pessimistic tone adopted by the meeting.

"There is competition in many areas and with many different players, but simply bemoaning that we have lost the way will not provide us with a way forward," Stoltenberg said.

He stressed that "Europe and North America are indispensable partners."

But Macron reiterated the concerns expressed by Germany. He said that the United States "is reviewing its relationship with Europe," stressing that the continent must take charge of its own destiny.

"We need a European strategy that will revive us and transform us into a strategic political force," he added.