ISTANBUL

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that the “old world is gone,” arguing that rapid global shifts are compelling nations to reassess their positions in “a new geopolitical era.”

“The world is changing very fast right in front of us. The old world is gone – frankly, the world that I grew up in – and we live in a new era in geopolitics,” Rubio told reporters ahead of the Munich Security Conference.

He said the speed of transformation requires governments and allies to “reexamine what that looks like and what our role is going to be,” adding that such discussions are already underway in private consultations with partners.

Rubio described the gathering as taking place at a “defining moment,” voicing hope that meetings in Munich would help move forward talks with allies.

On the sidelines of the conference, he expects to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, noting the meeting is likely on his schedule.

Addressing Russia’s continued bombardment during winter, Rubio called the situation “terrible.”

“It’s a war. That’s why we want the war to end. People are suffering. It’s the coldest time of year. It’s unimaginable suffering. That’s the problem with wars. That’s why wars are bad, and that’s why we have worked so hard for over a year now to try to bring this one to an end,” he said.

Regarding his planned meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Rubio said the visit forms part of previously discussed bilateral engagement. Hungarian officials traveled to the US late last year, he noted, and he had indicated he would reciprocate when possible, describing the current trip as a practical opportunity.

After engagements in Hungary, Rubio plans to visit Slovakia, following meetings held last year.

He rejected suggestions that his recent travel signaled any US disengagement from Europe, emphasizing that Washington remains very “tightly linked” to the continent.

Asked whether he would press Hungary and Slovakia to halt purchases of Russian energy, Rubio said such issues would be handled in private discussions and declined further comment.