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Hello and welcome to News Hour from the BBC World Service. We're coming to you live from London.

I'm Paul Henley, coming up on the programme, Giselle Pelico, the woman at the center of the largest rape trial in French history,

has been speaking to the BBC. In about half an hour's time, we'll hear how she coped with the

trauma and how she's gone on to find love. First, the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio,

has told international allies at the Munich Security Conference that Washington wants to revitalise its alliance with Europe.

The German, French and British leaders have all been talking about the obvious frictions

in the transatlantic alliance and the consequent need for Europe to take more responsibility for its own defence.

Trying to strike a more conciliatory tone, Mr Rub Rubio said the U.S. wanted its European allies to be strong.

We are part of one civilization, Western civilization.

We are bound to one another by the deepest bonds that nations could share,

forged by centuries of shared history, Christian faith, culture, heritage,

language, ancestry, and the sacrifices are forefathers made together for the common civilization

to which we have fallen heir. And so this is why we Americans may sometimes come off as a little direct and urgent in our council.

This is why President Trump demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe.

The reason why, my friends, is because we care deeply.

We care deeply about your future and ours.

If at times we disagree, our disagreements come from our profound sense of concern about a Europe with which we are connected, not just economically, not just militarily. We are connected spiritually, and we are connected culturally. We want Europe to be strong. We believe that Europe must survive.

Because the two great wars of the last century served for us as history's constant reminder

that ultimately our destiny is

and will always be intertwined

with yours.

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