German Chancellor has called for the establishment of a new, more equitable transatlantic partnership, grounded in shared interests rather than the values that Europe and the United States no longer mutually uphold. He made these remarks during his opening speech at this year's Munich Security Conference, highlighting a year of growing estrangement and deepening distrust between the US and Europe since the start of the American President's second term. The Chancellor reiterated that he has initiated preliminary talks with the French President regarding the creation of a European nuclear deterrent to supplement the US nuclear umbrella in the region, a clear indication of the tensions within the Western alliance. This move reveals Europe's profound doubts about the credibility of America's commitment to protecting its NATO allies. Since taking office, the US President has imposed high tariffs on imports from the EU and other nations in the region and last month abandoned a previous threat to annex Greenland, which belongs to Denmark. His administration has also supported nationalist opposition parties from Germany to the UK. The Chancellor stated, "The cultural wars of the 'Make America Great Again' movement do not belong to us. Freedom of speech should end where words are used to attack human dignity and the constitution. We do not believe in tariffs and protectionism; we believe in free trade." His comments serve as a belated response to the US Vice President's speech at the same conference a year ago, where the Vice President claimed Europe had abandoned Western values like free speech and suggested the US might no longer protect European countries that exclude far-right parties from government. The Chancellor argued that it is time to reshape the transatlantic partnership into a more transactional alliance, where Europe and the US engage as equal partners with their own distinct values. He noted, "The transatlantic partnership is no longer a given, first in the United States, then here in Europe, and perhaps even in this conference hall." As a long-standing transatlanticist and admirer of America, the Chancellor emphasized he does not wish to sever the relationship, maintaining that preserving it remains in America's interest. After winning the election a year ago, the Chancellor had called for European independence from the US, but he has also cultivated a good relationship with the US President. A German government official reported that following his speech, the Chancellor held a meeting with the US Secretary of State, where they discussed potential new military support for Ukraine, describing the meeting as "very positive and understanding." A spokesperson for the US State Department stated that the Secretary and the Chancellor "reiterated the importance of deepening the German-American partnership." Without its own nuclear weapons, Germany is far more reliant on the US for its security compared to nuclear-armed France or the UK. One-third of US troops stationed in Europe are based in Germany, including the large Ramstein Air Base, a hub for much of America's military operations in Africa and the Middle East. Germany's struggling economy is also heavily dependent on international trade, including with the US. Although German exports to the US have fallen significantly since tariffs were imposed last April, the US remains one of its largest markets and a major destination for German foreign direct investment.