Discussing the importance of developing a strong relationship between the United States and Europe, former Defense Minister of Germany and former Foreign Relations Committee Chairman of the German Bundestag Volker Rühe gave a lecture titled Transatlantic Relations in the 21st Century to 40 Boston University students, professors and international scholars in the School of Management Executive Leadership Center Wednesday night.

Invited by BU’s Institute for Human Sciences in collaboration with the Goethe Institute Boston and the American Council on Germany, Rühe elaborated on the structural changes that have occurred in the relationship between the United States and Europe after the Cold War as well as the current progress of the European Union.

In the transatlantic relationship between the United States and Europe, Rühe said three main structural changes have occurred.

The first change Rühe mentioned was maintaining transatlantic relations are no longer a vital part of U.S. policy.

“We are less important for each other,” he said, referring to the United States and Germany.

Rühe said the second change is the vulnerability of the United States. He said even in World War II, the Nazis were not able to threaten New York the way terrorists did on Sept. 11, 2001.

“America has never been as vulnerable as it is now,” he said.

Referring to modern warfare, Rühe said the United States and Europe were unified going into Afghanistan, but have since disagreed on the Iraq issue.

“Now we have to agree on when to go to war, and when to not,” he said.

The third structural change concerning the E.U.’s “transformative” power which the United States lacks, Rühe said. The dynamic in Europe has changed, he said, because the World War II- era fears of German dominance in Europe have subsided.

“What we need is a genuine partnership and a U.S. that believes in one strong Europe,” he said.

Rühe said it is possible for the United States to work together with Europe in order to be successful in the Middle East.

Rühe’s lecture is part of an ongoing series of lectures designed to cultivate dialogue between the United States and Europe.

IHS Executive Director Irena Gross said she believes Rühe’s lecture presented Europe in a new light.

“I think people saw European openness,” the modern languages professor said. “He is from the Christian Democratic Party, a center right party. Even on the right in Europe there is openness on issues of equality.”

Gross said the IHS brought Rühe to speak because she was interested in bringing a longstanding politician involved with issues in Europe.

“His opinions are very influential,” she said.

After Rühe spoke, international relations professor Thomas Berger addressed the audience, adding information about the transformation of international relations. He also talked about how the problems of mass terrorism differ from old terrorism, before moderating a short question and answer session with Rühe.

“We live in unusual times,” he said.