Munich Security Conference 2026: Macron says Europe ‘must act proudly, not be vilified’

We are wrapping up our live blog coverage with some stand-out moments from today’s gathering of the world’s top security leaders and experts.

• Germany’s Chancellor Merz delivered a dramatic speech which set the tone for the next three days. In it, he said the world order as it has stood for decades « no longer exists » and that a new world order of « power politics » puts even the strongest nations in danger. He dubbed the tension between the EU and the US an « inconvenient truth », said there was a « divide » between the continents and that « freedom could no longer be taken for granted » against the ongoing threat from Moscow.
• Elsewhere, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz and the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas sparred on spending with Waltz noting that continued payments for international organisations, such as the UN, have become hard to justify to US voters. Kallas told Waltz that « when America goes to wars, then a lot of us go with you, and we lose our people on the way. You also need us. »
• Finally, French President Emmanuel Macron praised Europe in a speech that set out a positive view of what the continent could achieve. He mentioned planning « coexistence » with Russia, a new European nuclear sharing programme and pushed back on the notion that Europe was over-regulating its social media platforms.

Thank you for reading. We’ll be back tomorrow with further updates.

Answering another question, Macron justifies not sending European troops into Ukraine by saying that it would be blamed for escalating tensions with Russia.

He namechecks « re-engaging with the US », additional sanctions on Russia, and action against Moscow’s shadow fleet as more credible means of ending the conflict.

This is « the best possible scenario, » he concludes.

In a Q&A session following his speech, Macron says that Europeans will have to « reorganise our architecture of security » to fit modern challenges.

He adds that he will speak more about the idea of Europe’s nuclear programme « in the next few weeks. » The French leader says he has been working with Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz on mechanisms for how the programme would be governed, including safeguards.

Macron has justified Europe’s Digital Services Act (DSA) amidst ongoing criticism from members of the Trump administration that it amounts to interference in free speech.

Platforms are amplifying foreign interference and disinformation, he says, mentioning France’s recent push to regulate social media.

« When you have free speech, you have respect, you have rules, » he says, listing a number of specific policy measures including a « one single person with one account » rule, more transparency on algorithms and stricter DSA enforcement.

« We must show the world our unwavering commitment to defend our own interests. It starts, of course, with continuing to extend our support to Ukraine, but it could nicely follow with fanning off unjustified tariffs and politely declining unjustified claims on European territory, » he continues, in a thinly veiled reference to Trump’s claims on Greenland.

He finishes with a call for Europeans to have « audacity » and be « clear » on their support of Ukraine.

“This Europe will be a good ally and partner for the US, it’ll be a partner that is respected and we have to be respected, we have done a lot and we will do more. »

Credit – AP

Macron has just delivered several points on Ukraine, insisting that Europe « must be part of the conversation. »

Macron framed the war as the defining test of Europe’s credibility, and one it has stepped up to meet. The EU has become the main financial backer of Kyiv and pushed through successive sanctions packages against Russia at a pace few thought possible in early 2022. 

He warned that any future peace cannot mean giving in to Russian demands, stressing that Moscow, after its invasion, is more isolated and economically dependent on China. The priority, he said, remains clear: ensure Ukraine can continue to resist. He also singled out Germany’s role, thanking Berlin for its strong financial and political commitment.

The French leader goes on to tell European leaders to « deliver » rather than « speak about homework behind closed doors. »

Macron acknowledges the continent is not perfect, after listing all its achievements. « Obviously, we have to fix a lot of things. »

Macron has struck a positive tone at the start of his speech tonight. “Where some see threats, I see fortitude.”

“Where some see doubts, I see opportunity, because I believe that Europe is inherently strong and can be made even stronger.”

He goes on to address US criticisms of Europe, saying the continent has been “vilified,” but adds that he wants to present an alternative vision of Europe, listing its strengths and achievements.

“We should be proud of our European achievements and our strengths… Let’s be proud of ourselves.”

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, gave us a short glimpse into the Ukraine meeting that took place this afternoon, attended by representatives from 16 countries, including Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, France’s Macron, Germany’s Merz, and Britain’s Starmer.

« Our goal is clear: to ensure Ukraine can negotiate peace on its own terms, from a position of strength and with a safe, secure and prosperous future for its citizens within the EU, » the European Commission president wrote on X.

The EU executive, earlier this month, put forward a 20th package of sanctions to further tighten the screw on Russia’s ability to raise money.

The main element is a full ban on maritime services aimed at further weakening Russia’s energy revenues, but the package also targets 20 Russian regional banks as well as companies and platforms trading in cryptocurrency, which the Kremlin has employed to bypass sanctions and create alternative payment systems.

We are waiting for French President Emmanuel Macron, who will take the main stage in a couple of minutes.

We’ll bring you the latest lines here.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that when it comes to Russia’s hybrid warfare, « the Baltic Sea is a big vulnerability ».

There have been multiple suspected acts of sabotage carried out in the Baltic since the beginning of Russia’s war in Ukraine, including attacks on undersea cables, many of which have been difficult to convincingly attribute.

Kristersson said that although it would be fair to say that while the Baltic Sea « has never been tested as much as it is right now », it is « equally fair to say we have built up capacity to defend » it.

On Thursday, Sweden was among eight NATO allies to agree to cooperate to rapidly acquire new technology-enabled multi-domain capabilities for naval operations following the deployment and testing of 70 air and maritime drones in 2025 as part of NATO’s Task Force X-Baltic.

Addressing the so-called « shadow fleet » of old tankers Russia uses to circumvent sanctions on fossil fuel exports, Kristersson said European sanctions and operations have been « pretty successful » and proved to be a good way to respond to Moscow’s hybrid activities.

« Massive sanctions from the US and Europe jointly would have massive effect on Russia, » he said. « We could do far more than we are. »

« We are defensive obviously, but it is very possible to have very offensive defence measures, » he added.

More from Ocasio-Cortez, who is speaking at a packed panel on « Responding to the Rise of Populism ».

« This is a moment where we are seeing our administration tear apart the transatlantic partnership, » she says of the current state of global affairs.

According to the congresswoman, the »rules-based order » has been brought into question, and the Democratic Party of which she’s a member wants « to tell a larger story: that what is happening is very grave, and we are in a new era, domestically and globally ».

But, she says, « that does not mean the majority of Americans are ready to walk away from a rules-based order, or democracy ».

When asked if there are any democratic institutions she would like to save, she brings up the US Agency for International Development, the US foreign aid agency that has seen its funding and headcount dramatically cut by the Trump administration, with implications for millions of aid recipients worldwide.

Credit – AP

Maia Sandu just told the panel that Moldova has « experienced probably all the elements of hybrid war », but that « the most difficult is the cognitive war », which she said is « difficult to see and can have a significant impact ».

She used the term to describe Russian disinformation campaigns targeting people with messages disparaging Moldova’s institutions and pro-EU attitude.

Martin Jäger, the president of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, says Russia’s hybrid warfare against European countries has three main aims: to split the transatlantic alliance, install governments with more pro-Russia views – notably through the manipulation of elections – and paralyse Brussels by creating frictions between member states.

Jäger said that in his view, his service « must become more operational » to counter these acts of hybrid warfare.

« All that requires a whole-of-government approach », he said, starting with understanding Russian thinking and actions while making sure the public understands that these seemingly unrelated hybrid activities are actually strategically coordinated hostile acts.

US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, perhaps better known by her moniker « AOC », is making her Munich Security Conference debut on a panel featuring EPP President Manfred Weber and Czech President Petr Pavel.

They quickly got on to the topic of the so-called « firewall » against the Alternative for Germany (AfD), an informal commitment made by German politicians to not work with the far-right party, including refusing to go into coalitions with it. The « firewall » has been publicly criticised by the Trump administration, including J.D. Vance, who met with one of the AfD’s leaders at last year’s conference.

Weber says the EPP in general is not prepared to accept parties that « do not follow the three pros, so pro-Europe, pro-Ukraine, pro-rule of law ».

But he concedes that Europe cannot follow a « left-leaning political approach on migration » that he says is contributing to extremism and populism. Voters, he says, need « proper answers to their concerns » and to be taken seriously.

Earlier, Ocasio-Cortez said she could relate to the frustration of working-class people who turn to the far right.

« We have to have a working class-centred politics if we are going to succeed and stave off the scourge of authoritarianism, » she said.

California governor Gavin Newsom insisted Trump was « temporary » during a panel discussion titled « Playing with Fire: The Need for Decisive Climate Action ».

« I hope, if there’s nothing else I can communicate today, Donald Trump is temporary, he’ll be gone in three years, » Newsom said, though he also called Trump « the most destructive president » in US history.

Speaking just days after the Trump administration abolished fundamental US climate regulations, Newsom said the climate crisis is hitting US residents directly, particularly in the state of California, which has suffered from aggressive wildfires that have through some of the state’s most populated cities.

« We’ve moved beyond the partisanship on this issue, because there is no Republican thermometer, there’s no democratic thermometer, there’s just reality. »

Governor of the State of California, Gavin Newsom, centre, addresses the audience at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

We have the guest list for this afternoon’s working meeting on Ukraine. In attendance were:

• French President Emmanuel Macron
• Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof
• Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
• European Council President António Costa
• Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal
• NATO chief Mark Rutte
• Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand
• Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre
• Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
• Finnish President Alexander Stubb
• Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen
• Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani

Germany’s leader painted a stark picture of a changing world order as he opened the Munich Security Conference this Friday.

For Merz, the conference’s motto, « under destruction », didn’t fully encapsulate the threat to the world order, which he said « no longer exists ».

He put part of this change down to the « inconvenient truth » that the transatlantic relationship between the US and Europe that has underpinned Western security for years is now in doubt.

Read more from his dramatic speech below.

Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar is in Munich and holding talks with Polish leader Donald Tusk and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to a post on social media.

Magyar is currently in the thick of campaigning for Hungary’s parliamentary elections on 10 April, in which he is the main challenger to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Polls show Magyar’s Tisza Party is ahead of Orbán’s Fidesz, which has held power in Hungary for well over a decade.

Magyar is also battling a scandal at home. He has accused the Hungarian government of secretly recording a sexual encounter with his ex-girlfriend and threatening to release it as a means to undermine his campaign. On Thursday, he filed a police report alleging the recording was unauthorised.

A Fidesz representative stated earlier that the governing party had no knowledge of the video.

The next round of the trilateral Ukraine-US-Russia peace talks is scheduled to take place in Geneva on 17-18 February, Kyiv and Moscow have confirmed. While this does at least mean the diplomatic process is continuing, the expectations for any progress – let alone a solution – are rather low.

One bad sign is that Moscow has changed the head of its delegation, sending Vladimir Putin’s aide Vladimir Medinsky to Geneva next week. 

Medinsky has a history of maximalist rhetoric, and his comeback marks a potential hardening of Moscow’s negotiating position, and could signal that Moscow intends to continue its formal participation in the negotiations without any intention of producing tangible results.

He is a fierce supporter of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine: in January 2025 he was the editor of a new textbook, « Military History of Russia ». which frames Moscow’s war against Ukraine as a continuation of the Soviet fight against Nazi Germany and describes Russia’s war as « necessary reaction to Western threats ». And as far back as 2013, he said that Russia’s « perseverance » in the face of all 20th-century catastrophes indicates that the Russian people « have an extra chromosome ».

The US officially have reportedly signalled to their Russian counterparts that they would prefer to limit the involvement of hardliners like Medinsky in the peace process.

Ukraine is sending the same high-level team to Geneva that it has dispatched to previous rounds of talks. The delegation is led by Rustem Umerov, the National Security and Defence Council Secretary, and Kyrylo Budanov, Zelensky’s chief of staff and former head of military intelligence, with other senior officials in tow.

« The team was formed taking into account the military, political, and security components of the process, » Umerov said. 

Speaking at a panel discussion entitled « Tariff-fying Times: Managing the Weaponisation of Trade », Finnish President Alexander Stubb has argued for a new European attitude to the state of the world.

« The choice right now is fairly binary, » he says. « You have those who support a multipolar world, which is transactional, deal-based and based on spheres of interest. And then you have those who support a multilateral world…we support the idea of international institutions, rules, norms and cooperation. »

« For demographic reasons, for economic reasons, for geopolitical reasons, it’s going to be the global south that decides the next world order. And how do we make a value proposition?

« What I’ve tried to do is to say that we base our foreign policy on values-based realism, so to be true to your values: human rights, fundamental rights, democracy, freedom, rule of law – but be realistic, you cannot solve issues of trade, conflict, climate or technology just with like-minded countries. »

He also thanked World Trade Organisation Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, also on the panel. for describing Finland as a « middle power ».

Finnish president Alexander Stubb answers questions of journalists at the Munich Security Conference at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. 

On the main stage, we have a panel on tariffs featuring Finnish President Alexander Stubb, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and US Senator Thomas Roland Tillis.

World Trade Organisation director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is also taking part. She says that whilst she doesn’t agree with US tariff threats, she agrees with their « criticism of the system. »

« The system has not evolved, has not been quick to change and respond to the changing world. »

According to Stubb, smaller countries or middle powers should « lean in and support multilateral trade organisations. »

Klingbeil points out Germany’s priority is to work on European competitiveness, but concedes that institutions should be « reformed » to provide more visibility for the Global South.

UN Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz is asked if the US is still committed to European defence. He replies that’s « absolutely » the case, before talking about how far the US has funded what he calls the « global multilateral rules based order since the Second World War ».

« When I go to people in Indiana and Georgia and North Florida that I represented, and it is their money paying more than 180 countries combined into the UN system, I have to look at them honestly and say it’s being well spent, and it’s not,” he says.

He adds that growing issues with debt in the US mean it’s fair « to ask 450 million Europeans with the same size economy as the US to be more self-sustaining » in terms of their own defence.

Kallas points out Europe contributes financially to its own defence, adding that “when America goes to wars, then a lot of us go with you, and we lose our people on the way.”

« You also need us. »

We’ve heard some notable remarks on Trump’s so-called Board of Peace from US ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz.

According to him. the Board of Peace is « absolutely focused on Gaza. »

As a reminder, Trump unveiled the Board of Peace in Davos. The project originated in his 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan, which was endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, but appeared to take on wider ambitions after multiple heads of state were invited to participate.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas pushed back on some of Waltz’s claims that the Board has full UN backing, noting it is only backed until December 2027 and is limited to operating in the Gaza Strip.

Waltz also claims « the US has historically paid more than 180 countries combined” for the United Nations, and that he has been thanked for « American leadership ».

Wondering what French President Emmanuel Macron is up to today? We have his agenda (all times CET):

• 16:25: Meeting with Markus Soder, Minister-President of Bavaria
• 16:45: Working meeting on Ukraine
• 17:50: Meeting in E3 format (with the leaders of Germany and the UK)
• 19:00: Keynote speech on France in Europe and the world
• 19:45: Bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Sadly for those who liked his Top-Gun look, he is no longer sporting his sunglasses. Will we still be tuning in to his speech? « For shure! »

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today inaugurated a new German-Ukrainian joint venture, Quantum Frontline Industries, pulling together the German drone company Quantum Systems and the Ukrainian start-up Frontline Robotics.

After welcoming the Ukrainian president at the factory near Munich, Pistorius symbolically handed him a drone.

« These systems will be made available directly to the Ukrainian armed forces, » Pistorius said, adding that « we are talking about an initial capacity of 10,000 drones per year, » with « no real upper limits beyond the company’s production capacity. »

During his remarks, Zelenskyy thanked Pistorius and stressed that the drones would be « very helpful » for Ukrainian soldiers, whom he described as « absolutely heroic » people. « They are on the front. They give their lives. We can give them support, but this is crucial, » he said.

A few hours later, Pistorius arrived in Munich, where he again spoke to the press. There, he underlined that « we all benefit mutually » from the cooperation, referring to the Ukrainian armed forces as well as the Ukrainian and German defence industries.

« Because, of course, we learn from what is happening in Ukraine and benefit from the vast amounts of data and the experience being gathered from the combat taking place there. This way, we can continue to drive forward the development of our own drone capabilities, and everyone benefits from it. And this is also a clear and very tangible example showing that Germany is not letting up in its support for Ukraine, » Pistorius told reporters.

Now it’s time for the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Taking part in a panel discussion, she’s asked if she agrees with Merz that the old world order is gone.

« I would take a step back and think why this world order was put in place the first time, » she answers, before referencing multiple wars that came before.

She points to accountability, before saying that while the « rules are there », accountability in the form of the Security Council and United Nations is not « working as it should be. »

Ukraine’s top diplomat Andrii Sybiha earlier met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Ukraine has previously accused China of supplying weapons to Russia, and Europe has often argued Beijing is not using its influence on Moscow to push for real peace talks. 

In a post on social media, Sybiha said he had invited his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to Ukraine, a visit that would be a first for a Chinese official.

« I reiterated Ukraine’s interest in contacts with China at the highest level, » he said after the meeting. « I also informed my Chinese counterpart about the battlefield situation and the Russian attacks against our energy system. »

Beyond the official agenda, much of the diplomatic effort gets done on the sidelines and in private meetings inside the Rosewood hotel and the Bayerische Hof where the conference takes place. 

NATO’s strength is its ability to deter and to innovate, Britain’s Defence Secretary also said, adding that it’s better for allies to work together on developing new weapons systems.

The UK on Thursday announced over £400 million (€459 million) in new funding this year towards long-range weapons developed with other European nations.

Some of that money will go towards the Stratus joint missile programme to develop a next-generation stealth replacement for the Storm Shadow missile with France and Italy, with the rest going to Britain’s new long-range weapon programme with Germany.

The latter system – known as Deep Precision Strike – will have a range of over 2,000 km and is expected to come into service in the 2030s.

« We need to combine the special technical and industrial capabilities of our two nations to help lead that work, and it’s better if we do it together, and it’s important that we do them together as European nations, » Healey told a select group of journalists on the Deep Precision Strike programme.

« The greatest strength of NATO is its unity and its ability to deter and that’s what a 32-strong NATO now does. A NATO that is committed to increasing and doing the increase in defence spending as well as the development of new technologies, » he added.

The United States’ commitment to NATO’s collective defence clause is « absolute » and Washington’s demands for Europe to step up in no means indicate it is seeking a diminished role in the alliance, John Healey just said in an interview on the conference’s sidelines with several media outlets, including L’Observatoire de l’Europe.

« Is there faith in the US military? Yes. Is there faith in the military-security relationship between the UK and the US? It’s proven itself over decades. »

« Last summer we all, 32 nations including the US, made the commitment to 5% (of GDP on defence spending) by 2035, core defence and wider national security. That’s a very powerful deterrent signal to potential adversaries like Russia, » Healey added.

In fact, he argued, the demands by the US for Europe to do more when it comes to its own defence and to Ukraine have led the UK to significantly boost its ties with European partners.

« This time last year, there was no Coalition of the Willing, now led by the UK with France. There was no UK leadership of UDCG (the Ukraine Defence Contact Group). There is now, with Germany. There was no security and defence pact with the European Union. There is, now, » he said.

Now in a Q&A with conference chairman Ischinger, Merz lays down the law on what will bring the war in Ukraine to an end.

« This war will only end when Russia is at least economically, potentially militarily, exhausted, » he says. « We are approaching this time. We did a lot to achieve that, but we are not yet there. »

« We must do everything to bring them to the point where they see no further advantages to them to continue this terrible war. »

After rebuking the US’ criticism of the EU, Merz goes on to insist that the transatlantic relationship still has value.

For generations, he says, “the trust among allies, partners, and friends made NATO the strongest alliance of all times. Europe knows deeply how precious this is ».

Merz reflects on Europe’s unified response to Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland, saying that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen can attest that European solidarity can be counted on in the face of threats.

Merz switches to English to warn the United States that it will not be powerful enough to « go it alone » in the new age of great power politics –and promises that « we Europeans are doing our part ».

He receives a round of applause.

Merz says J.D. Vance « was right » in his diagnosis of a cultural gap between the US and Europe in his Munic Security Conference speech last year – in that Europe does not believe in tariffs, sees that hate speech must be limited, and believes in fighting climate change, which the Trump administration has formally backed away from this week.

He receives a round of applause.

Merz goes on to talk about Germany’s army, the Bundeswehr, and making it « the strongest conventional army in Europe ».

He points to Germany’s permanent Bundeswehr combat brigade in Lithuania as evidence of this. The brigade will boast 4,800 soldiers by 2027 and mark Germany’s first permanent foreign deployment since World War II.

Merz says the world has entered a new era of « big power politics », with major implications for his own country.

Germany’s foreign and security policy, he says, is anchored in a European perspective, one he calls « more precious than ever. »

Its policy in the past he admits, « lacked the means to solve the problem. » He insists Europe is « closing this gap now », saying that Europe will be better prepared to face challenges ahead.

He says the most important thing is to « turn the switch in the mind now ».

« Our freedom in an era of big powers is no longer a given. »

Two of US President Donald Trump’s highest-profile domestic critics are on this afternoon’s agenda in Munich.

First up at 16:30 is California Governor Gavin Newsom, whom Trump has repeatedly clashed with over topics from wildfire aid to immigration enforcement.

And at 17:30, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – universally known as AOC – will join a panel, « Vox Populi? Responding to the Rise of Populism », also featuring EPP President Manfred Weber and Czech President Petr Pavel.

Both Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez are frequently mentioned as potential presidential candidates for the 2028 election. The latter only passed the minimum 35-year age threshold for a US president in late 2024.

Merz is setting the tone for the upcoming days with his warning of a growing threat to the world order.

« With the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have entered a new phase of world that make us hold our breath and change our world more comprehensively than we would have thought many years before, » he says. « We need to talk, this is more urgent than ever. »

« This order is flawed, the order in its heyday, no longer exists. Europe had just returned from a vacation from world history. Together we’ve entered an era that once again is marked by power and power politics. »

He points to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine again, before name-checking China as a force changing the world order. « China systematically uses dependencies of others and redefines the world in its favour. »

« The United States’ leadership has been challenged, and possibly lost. »

Now speaking is German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who says the conference’s official theme, « under destruction », is an apt description of the world order.

He says that if there was a « unipolar moment » after the Cold War defined by US hegemony, it is long over – and that instead, the world faces competition between « spheres of influence », with major powers in a « zero-sum game ».

Bavarian President Markus Söder has now called on the audience to understand the true value of NATO.

« It would have been unthinkable » to consider the relationship between the US and Europe, given the certainty of that relationship over the last decades. « Could we live without it? I can say I cannot imagine a world without this transatlantic bond. »

« The Warsaw Pact was just a military alliance, but NATO is an alliance of values as well…they are important for the future, and we strive to defend these values of freedom, democracy and human rights around the globe. »

He also insists that Germany’s military contribution to the war in Afghanistan deserves due recognition from the US, pushing back on recent remarks from Donald Trump suggesting Europe played no part in it.

The conference’s chair Wolfgang Ischinger has delivered a message on European unity, after welcoming multiple delegations to the conference.

Europe will stand if « European nations stand together, stand together more closely than in the past » he says.

« This is a time to be serious. This is not a time to mince our words. We need to be honest about our differences, but we should seek to help organise a constructive transatlantic reset, if that is possible this weekend. »

He then proceeds to give the audience some questions.

He asks Europeans: « What concrete steps are you proposing or are you prepared to take beyond delivering speeches to help create a European Union that is going to be a more respected international actor and more capable of defending our freedom, our values, and our borders?

For the US, « Does the Trump administration truly believe it needs allies and partners and, if so, is Washington prepared to treat allies as partners? »

And for China, « If China wishes to further develop and enhance her relationship with Europe, to what extent is China actually going to be willing to invest in getting Russia to end its aggression and withdraw from Ukraine? »

Ischinger offers up a bold question for Rubio and his delegation to answer this weekend:

« Does the Trump administration truly believe that it needs allies and partners? And if so – this is what we hope – is Washington truly prepared to treat allies as partners? »

Warmly welcoming a large US delegation, Ischinger issues a warning to Europe:

« The transatlantic partnership needs a stronger Europe, » he says, « but Europe will stand only if European nations stand together more closely than in the past. »

The audience has just been shown a video montage of world leaders featuring the phrase « wrecking-ball politics », used by the conference’s organisers in a report this week to describe the state of the world.

Also included was a question: « Can destruction be creative? »

And with that, Conference Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger takes the stage.

« What happened in Davos a couple of weeks ago does not have to stay in Davos, » he says – before donning a pair of Macron-esque aviators, to laughter and applause.

The Munich Security Conference’s opening session is shortly to begin with an address from chair Wolfgang Ischinger and Bavarian leader Markus Söder.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have paid a visit to drone producing company Quantum Frontline Industries, based near Munich.

European-made drones are proving a key part of Ukraine’s defence against Russia. The ground advantage in Ukraine is often determined by the two sides’ drone abilities, both for battlefield surveillance and targeted strikes on troops and equipment.

Russia has relied heavily on Shahed drones purchased from Iran.

Copyright: AP Photo

When he visited the Munich Security Conference as the United States’ freshly inaugurated vice president last year, J.D. Vance delivered a speech that left many in the room and around the world open-mouthed with its condemnation of European democracies.

Railing against supposed crackdowns on free speech and tolerance of mass migration, Vance warned of « a retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America ».

The speech set the stage for a year of aggressive US diplomacy towards Europe, including a National Security Strategy released last December that warned of the continent’s « civilisational decline ».

At the 2025 Munich conference, Vance met with the co-leader of the far-right party Alternative for Germany, which several in the Trump administration have gone on to support.

Here is how then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reacted at the time:

We have some pictures coming in on the wires of leaders arriving for today’s talks. It’s cold and overcast in Munich today — stay tuned for more.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen smokes a pipe.

Ukraine’s push to join the European Union in 2027 is forcing Brussels to reconsider how enlargement works.

EU officials have said that Kyiv’s stated 2027 goal is impossible under current, merit-based enlargement rules, which require full alignment with EU laws and democratic standards. At the same time, diplomats say rejecting the deadline, which is tied to a US-brokered peace deal, would be politically challenging.

How is Brussels rethinking its enlargement rules? Mared Gwyn has more.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who is scheduled to take part in a panel this afternoon on deterring and countering hybrid warfare, has written lengthy X post sharing his thoughts on how Europe should change to face the « great geopolitical shifts » taking place.

Europe, he wrote on X, needs to operate a « strategic and mental shift, to make sure we can do more on our own, and with other partners ». He said that the relationship with the US « has suffered a blow » but that « this does not at all mean we should abandon the transatlantic relation » (sic).

His remedy to all that?

• Europe must become more competitive by « tearing down barriers and cutting red tape on the single market » – but « ‘Buy Europe’ protectionism is not the answer »
• Europe must take more responsibility for its own security through rebalancing the NATO military alliance
• Europe must continue its support for Ukraine and keep its pressure on Russia, Kristersson said, noting that although the bloc has done « more than many expected », its « words have sometimes been stronger than our budgetary allocations »

He adds that while the EU has a broad toolbox it can draw on, one of its strengths remains its size and its deep attachment to a rules-based international order, which brings « much-needed stability and predictability to global trade ».

« We have the tools to shape our own future, promote security and stability in our neighbourhood and to project our own geopolitical interests. We can achieve this as long as we stand united and act on the main security challenges facing Europe. »

Read the full post below.

European Commission President von der Leyen has celebrated the EU’s €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) scheme at a side event organised by Germany’s ruling CDU party.

« SAFE has €100 billion allocated for joint projects to close the gaps and also to strengthen (the EU’s) own defence capability, » she said.

« A second element is important here, namely that these €100 billion, which are made available, very clearly define that 65 per cent, two-thirds of the products must come from Ukraine or Europe, and can no longer be purchased from abroad. »

She also mentioned the bloc’s collective €90 billion loan for Ukraine, which was agreed by EU countries in early February.

« This loan must only be repaid by Ukraine if Russia pays reparations. Two-thirds of this loan, i.e. €60 billion, is available for defence expenditures. »

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte kicked off today’s conference by speaking of a « mindset shift » amongst European leaders.

“We had years, decades, of complaints by the US about the fact that in Europe we were not spending enough on defence. That is what we are correcting at the moment, and this makes NATO so much stronger,” he told reporters at a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

« The shift in mindset is that yesterday in the room, what we felt, all of us, there was a clear coming together of vision and of unity. »

Transatlantic relations are a key theme at this year’s conference after a tumultuous year of White House policies that’s shaken the western alliance to its core.

At a meeting on Thursday, US and European defence ministers seemed to be in agreement that the NATO military alliance needs to become more « European » to survive, but their rationales for this shift might differ.

Our reporter Alice Tidey has more below.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech to the Munich Security Conference is scheduled for 12pm tomorrow.

According to my colleague Sasha Vakulina, he will today attend a Berlin format meeting with leaders of European countries, the EU, NATO, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as holding a series of bilateral meetings with Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen, Finland’s Alexander Stubb, the Netherlands’ Dick Schoof, and exiled Iranian dissident Reza Pahlavi.

He will also visit the first joint Ukrainian-German drone production enterprise, Quantum Frontline Industries.

« We need more of our joint production, more of our resilience, more coordination and effectiveness of our shared security architecture in Europe, » Zelenskyy wrote on X.

« The most significant thing we can achieve together is ending the war with a dignified peace and creating reliable security guarantees for Ukraine and for all of Europe – so that no one in Europe is afraid of being left without protection. »

World leaders are starting to trickle into Munich’s iconic Bayerischer Hof hotel.

Among others, our reporters on the ground have spotted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen; earlier, Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha were seen cutting a ribbon to open the « Ukraine House » — a new venue designed to showcase the conference’s commitment to supporting Ukraine.

The three-day conference officially kicks off at 13.30 CET, but it will still be an action-packed day with some heavy-hitting speakers.

Here are the events we’ll bring you (all times CET):

• 13.30: Opening with welcome remarks by MSC chairman Ischinger, Bavaria State Premier Soeder, Chancellor Friedrich Merz 
• 14.30: Session on multilateralism with EU’s Kaja Kallas, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, and the US ambassador to UN
• 15.30: Session on Geoeconomics with the WTO chief Okonjo-Iweala, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Germany’ finance minister
• 15.30: Arctic Security with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt
• 17.30: Session on hybrid warfare with the German Federal Intelligence Service president, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Moldova President Maia Sandu, NATO Admiral Guiseppe Cavo Dragone
• 18.45: Session on Iran with Prince Reza Pahlavi, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola 
• 19.00: France in Europe and the world with President Macron

Welcome to L’Observatoire de l’Europe’ live coverage of the Munich Security Conference, bringing you the latest updates from three days of debate between the world’s top international security figures.

Today’s conference opens with a speech by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, one of multiple European heads of state or government who will attend.

Among the other guests are Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is bringing with him a large US delegation one year after Vice President J.D. Vance shocked European leaders with a lecture on the state of democracy in Europe.

All eyes this year will be on how Washington will show up after a year of White House policies that have strained the transatlantic relationship. Stay tuned for more.