Global News Podcast Transatlantic relations under spotlight at Munich conference
9 snips
Feb 13, 2026 
Marika Aoi, BBC reporter known here as a playful Hello Kitty correspondent, Yogita Lamai, BBC Bangladesh correspondent covering the BNP’s return after 2024 unrest, and Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent reporting from the Munich Security Conference. They discuss transatlantic tensions, US delegation posture and defence spending pressure on Europe. Also covered: Bangladesh’s election context and the Hello Kitty designer stepping down.
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Rules-Based Order Declared Dead
- Friedrich Merz declared the rules-based international order 'no longer exists', signalling a stark shift in Europe's security outlook.
- Frank Gardner says Europe must increase defence spending as US commitment to European defence is weakening under the current US administration.
US Pushes Europe To Shoulder Defence Costs
- The US delegation in Munich emphasised tougher demands on Europe to fund its own defence rather than rely on Washington.
- Frank Gardner notes US officials are urging NATO members to spend more immediately, not over the next decade.
US Delegation Signals Strategic Rebalance
- Significant figures in the US delegation, like Elbridge Colby, oppose further US funding for Ukraine and prioritise the Indo-Pacific.
- Gardner highlights this as a sign the US strategic focus is shifting away from Ukraine toward Asia.