TESERO, Italy (AP) — Norway’s cross-country skiing star Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won an eighth gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics Friday, tying an all‑time Winter Games record. The 29‑year‑old claimed victory in the men’s 10 kilometer interval‑start race, for his third gold at the 2026 Games.
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FILE- Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, right, celebrates as he nears the finish with Erik Valnes, of Norway, left, during the men's team sprint classic cross-country skiing competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 16, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, from right, Ben Ogden, of the United States, and Oskar Opstad Vike, of Norway, compete in the final of the cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
FILE - Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, celebrates after winning the men's cross-country skiing sprint classic at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
FILE - Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's team sprint freestyle cross-country skiing final at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, File)
FILE - Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 4 x 10km relay cross-country skiing competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
FILE- Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, right, celebrates as he nears the finish with Erik Valnes, of Norway, left, during the men's team sprint classic cross-country skiing competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 16, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
FILE - Gold medal finisher Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, celebrates during a venue ceremony after the men's sprint free cross-country skiing competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 8, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 10km + 10km skiathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, competes in the cross country skiing men's 10km + 10km skiathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, foreground right, start in the cross country skiing men's 10km + 10km skiathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, races to the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, crosses the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Gold medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, poses on the podium of the cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, from right, Ben Ogden, of the United States, and Oskar Opstad Vike, of Norway, compete in the final of the cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, sits on the leader's chair after crossing the finish line in the the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, competes in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, reacts after crossing the finish line in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, right, of Norway, competes in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, competes in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, poses after winning the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
FILE - Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, celebrates after winning the men's cross-country skiing sprint classic at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
FILE - Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's team sprint freestyle cross-country skiing final at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, File)
FILE - Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 4 x 10km relay cross-country skiing competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
FILE- Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, right, celebrates as he nears the finish with Erik Valnes, of Norway, left, during the men's team sprint classic cross-country skiing competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 16, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
FILE - Gold medal finisher Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, celebrates during a venue ceremony after the men's sprint free cross-country skiing competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 8, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, approaches the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 10km + 10km skiathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, competes in the cross country skiing men's 10km + 10km skiathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, foreground right, start in the cross country skiing men's 10km + 10km skiathlon at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, races to the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, crosses the finish line to win the gold medal in the cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Gold medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, poses on the podium of the cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, from right, Ben Ogden, of the United States, and Oskar Opstad Vike, of Norway, compete in the final of the cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, sits on the leader's chair after crossing the finish line in the the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, competes in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, reacts after crossing the finish line in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, right, of Norway, competes in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, competes in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, of Norway, poses after winning the gold medal in the cross country skiing men's 10km interval start free at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
MUNICH (AP) — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on Friday for the United States and Europe to “repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together,” arguing that even the U.S. isn't powerful enough to go it alone in an increasingly tough world.
Merz called for a “new trans-Atlantic partnership,” acknowledging that “a divide, a deep rift” has opened up across the Atlantic as he opened the Munich Security Conference, an annual gathering of top global security figures including many European leaders and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
At last year's conference, held a few weeks into U.S. President Donald Trump's second term, Vice President JD Vance stunned European leaders by lecturing them about the state of democracy and freedom of speech on the continent — a moment that set the tone for the last year.
A series of statements and moves from the Trump administration targeting allies followed, including Trump's threat last month to impose new tariffs on several European countries in a bid to secure U.S. control of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. The president later dropped that threat.
“The culture war of the MAGA movement in the U.S. is not ours,” Merz said. “The freedom of the word ends here when this word is turned against human dignity and the constitution. And we don't believe in tariffs and protectionism, but in free trade.”
He added that Europe would stand by climate agreements and the World Health Organization “because we are convinced that we will only solve global tasks together.”
But Merz said Europe and the U.S. should conclude that “we are stronger together" in today's world. He argued that the post-World War II world order “as imperfect as it was at its best times, no longer exists" today.
“In the era of great-power rivalry, even the United States will not be powerful enough to go it alone,” he said. “Dear friends, being a part of NATO is not only Europe's competitive advantage. It's also the United States' competitive advantage, so let's repair and revive trans-Atlantic trust together.”
The Europeans, Merz said, are doing their part.
Since last year’s Munich conference, NATO allies have agreed under pressure from Trump to a large increase in their defense spending target.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said there has been a “shift in mindset,” with “Europe really stepping up, Europe taking more of a leadership role within NATO, Europe also taking more care of its own defense.”
With Rubio heading the U.S. delegation this year, European leaders can hope for a less contentious approach more focused on traditional global security concerns.
Speaking as he introduced Merz, conference chairman Wolfgang Ischinger asked: “does the Trump administration truly believe that it needs allies and partners and if so ... is Washington actually prepared to treat allies as partners?”
Before departing for Germany on Thursday, Rubio had some reassuring words as he described Europe as important for Americans.
“We’re very tightly linked together with Europe,” he told reporters. “Most people in this country can trace both, either their cultural or their personal heritage, back to Europe. So, we just have to talk about that.”
But Rubio made clear it wouldn’t be business as it used to be, saying: “We live in a new era in geopolitics, and it’s going to require all of us to reexamine what that looks like.”
Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the conference that the U.S. had been sustaining the financial burden of multilateralism for too long and Europeans need to do more.
“There is a cost to the status quo and the status quo was not sustainable any more,” Waltz said.
Merz said that Europe's “excessive dependency” on the U.S. was its own fault, but it is leaving that behind. “We won't do this by writing off NATO — we will do it by building a strong, self-supporting European pillar in the alliance, in our own interest,” he said.
He acknowledged that Europe and the U.S. will likely have to bridge more disagreements in the future than in the past, but “if we do this with new strength, respect and self-respect, that is to the advantage of both sides.”
Rubio arrived in Munich on Friday. He met Merz and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi separately on the sidelines of the conference, and also had a meeting scheduled with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. He is due to address the conference on Saturday morning.
Moulson reported from Berlin. Associated Press reporter Claudia Ciobanu in Warsaw, Poland, contributed to this report.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz meet in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at the Munich Security Conference. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz shake hands in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at the the Munich Security Conference. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
From left, Norway's Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda speak prior to a panel discussion during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz prepares to address the audience during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at the beginning of a meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio shakes hands with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, at the beginning of a meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrives for the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Figures depicting US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, are displayed at Marienplatz square, as part of a protest against fossil energy by the environment organisation Greenpeace during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Police walk in formation to take their security positions around the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, for the Munich Security Conference. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
FILE - Chairman of the conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, speaks at the Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. (Andreas Gebert/dpa via AP, File)