Suggested lead: The Munich Security Conference -- three days of intense discussions, speeches, and political networking -- has wrapped up for another year. Everybody was eager to hear what US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had to say, after last year's speech from Vice President JD Vance ruffled feathers among the attendees. This year, the tone from Washington was a little bit different...

Lower thirds:

0:04  Friedrich Merz / German Chancellor
0:18  Wolfgang Ischinger / MSC chairman
0:34  Marco Rubio / US Secretary of State
1:17  Johann Wadephul / German Foreign Minister
1:36  Boris Pistorius / German Defense Minister
1:57  Volodymr Zelenskyy / Ukrainian President
2:06  Report by / Jenni Graham 

Script:

The theme of THIS Munich Security Conference was:

+++SOT Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor+++
Under destruction

But the main takeaway?

+++SOT Wolfgang Ischinger, MSC chairman+++
Mr. Secretary, I'm not sure you heard the sigh of relief through this hall.

The key word: Relief.

After an explosive speech from US Vice President JD Vance at LAST year's MSC, everybody here was waiting with bated breath to see what the American delegation would do next...

+++SOT US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio+++
We do not seek to separate, but to revitalize an old friendship and renew the greatest civilization in human history. (WHITE FLASH) For us Americans, our home may be in the Western Hemisphere, but we will always be a child of Europe. 

A softer tone from the US this time around... plus a bit of flattery for the German hosts:

+++SOT US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio+++
Our great Midwestern heartland was built by German farmers and craftsmen who transformed empty plains into a global agricultural powerhouse. And, by the way, dramatically upgraded the quality of American beer.

This shift in tone seemed to go down well with the Europeans...

+++SOT German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul (DW INTERVIEW)+++
The key message was: "Let's do it again." We were successful through all the times of the Cold War. Germany was reunited. That was a success of the transatlantic relation and our bond, and NATO of course, and we are stronger than ever.

+++SOT German Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius (DW INTERVIEW)+++
If the world changes, we know we need to change, too, but the best way to do it as allies and partners is to do it jointly.

There was, though, one surprising omission:

No reference at all to Ukraine in the US Secretary of State's speech...

But Kyiv was front and center in the panel discussions.

+++SOT Ukrainian President, Volodymr Zelenskyy+++
So, give us a ceasefire. President Trump can do it. Push Putin; make a ceasefire.

Three days -- packed full of speeches and panels -- now over until next year.

Many here refer to it as a kind of political speed-dating... and it's no exaggeration to say that there's massive relief that – this year – there's been no messy break-up.