U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a speech in Athens calling on Western nations to restore the values and principles he says have shaped Western civilization. 

Speaking near the historic Acropolis, Rubio highlighted qualities including courage, ambition, curiosity and loyalty to one’s nation as important to the West’s future. 

Rubio connected his message to President Donald Trump’s “America First” approach, arguing that putting national interests ahead of broader global priorities is not inherently selfish. 

He warned that the West faces a critical period in which decisions made during the next decade could determine its global position for generations, Fox News has reported.

The speech was part of Rubio’s three-country European trip and came as the United States seeks to strengthen security, energy and economic cooperation with NATO allies.