MUNICH
The three-day Munich Security Conference concluded on Sunday following high-level discussions on global security issues, particularly European security, the war in Ukraine, and transatlantic relations.
Intense discussions about the war in Ukraine and potential peace talks with Russia, as well as US Vice President JD Vance's controversial remarks about Europe, have dominated the conference, which began on Friday.
The 61st annual flagship conference was attended by over 50 heads of state and government, as well as 150 ministers from around the world.
On Friday, the conference kicked off with an opening statement by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who urged caution, warning the US against hastily entering peace talks with Russia over Ukraine, which could have far-reaching consequences for allies.
The day continued with discussions on a number of key issues, including global security challenges and democratic resilience, during talks by high-level speakers to discuss
However, Vance's speech made headlines on the first day because he emphasized the need for Europe to play a more prominent role in its security while criticizing European politicians, institutions, and courts for what he sees as a departure from democratic principles.
He also accused European governments of opening "floodgates to millions of unvetted immigrants" and called for stricter border controls.
Some European politicians reacted negatively to his remarks.
The war in Ukraine was also a top agenda item at the conference, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning against any peace agreement without Kyiv's involvement, as US President Donald Trump agreed with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to "immediately" begin negotiations to end the three-year-long Ukraine war.
After meeting with Vance on the margins of the conference, the Ukrainian president said they need a "plan how to stop Putin."
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier criticized the Trump administration for undermining Ukraine’s position ahead of possible peace negotiations with Russia.
He cautioned the US against hastily entering peace talks with Russia over Ukraine, warning of far-reaching consequences for allies.
The alliance chief Mark Rutte said NATO membership has never been promised to Ukraine as part of a peace deal.
In a joint statement, leaders of Nordic-Baltic countries reiterated that Ukraine and Europe must play a central role in any negotiations aimed at securing a just and lasting peace.
Situation in Middle East
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday in their first face-to-face meeting, discussing the situation in Syria and Gaza, among other issues, as the Middle East was among the agenda items for the talks.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, during an interview with Anadolu, stressed that "Gazans must go back and live in the Gaza Strip," promising that his country would do everything possible to assist with the reconstruction of the coastal enclave.
During interviews with Anadolu, other top European politicians emphasized the importance of all parties to the Gaza ceasefire working to fully implement it.
"We need to get to a point where the ceasefire holds, and then we can start talking about reconstruction, about aid, about governance, and about security in Gaza," said Simon Harris, the Irish foreign minister.
Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ian Borg reminded that Malta was among the first to call for a permanent ceasefire, "with the ultimate objective remaining the two-state solution."
Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, also voiced support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizing that Palestinians have the right to remain in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, US Vice President Vance met with Alice Weidel, the leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which sparked anger from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during her opening address on the second day of the annual talks.
"We will not accept outsiders interfering in our democracy, our elections, and the democratic opinion formation process in favor of this party, especially not friends and allies," said Scholz.
Fidan also continued his bilateral talks on the second day, meeting with Keith Kellogg, the US president's special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev.
Fidan also met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and discussed issues related to Syria’s reconstruction, the ongoing government formation process in the country, and the fight against terrorist organizations such as Daesh (ISIS) and PKK/YPG.
Fidan also met with foreign ministers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Sudan, and Bulgaria—Elmedin Konakovic, Jeyhun Bayramov, Ali Youssef, and Georg Georgiev, respectively.
The G7 foreign ministers, representing Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US, reaffirmed their commitment to the territorial integrity of Syria and Lebanon.
Speaking in a panel where the Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani was also a speaker, the Turkish foreign minister said regional countries are in consensus on Syria’s future.
Al-Shaibani reiterated the importance of lifting sanctions to give the country stability.
Security, global challenges
Europe must be ready to face challenges and make sacrifices to take charge of its own security, the French foreign minister said on the second day of the conference.
To confront the serious threats looming over the French and European regions, the continent must acquire "the means to defend itself," Jean-Noel Barrot told reporters on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Meanwhile, European ministers stressed that peace in Ukraine and the wider region cannot be achieved without a European-led effort, warning against external pressures that do not consider the continent's strategic interests.
"There won’t be any lasting peace if it’s not a European-agreed peace," the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said, underscoring Europe’s pivotal role in shaping security and stability in the region.
When asked about Ukraine’s security conditions, Zelenskyy stressed that Kyiv requires firm guarantees, including strong sanctions against Russia and the creation of a 1.3 to 1.5 million-strong army to match Russian forces.
"If we are not in NATO, then as I said, NATO has to be in Ukraine.
For his part, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on European countries to make concrete proposals rather than complaining about being excluded from potential talks on Ukraine.
Separately, Canada rejected Trump's proposal to reinstate Russia in the G7, with Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly saying this would not happen.
The US, Japan, and South Korea also reaffirmed their trilateral partnership and commitment to regional security during the talks in Munich.
Future of Europe
On its final day on Sunday, the Munich Security Conference hosted discussions focusing on the future of Europe and security architecture issues, as well as accelerating the EU accession of Balkan countries.
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb called for strengthening Ukraine's military capabilities and maintaining maximum pressure on Russia before any peace negotiations begin, outlining a detailed three-phase approach to potential peace talks.
"We need to rearm Ukraine and put maximum pressure on Russia, which means sanctions, which means frozen assets, so that Ukraine begins these negotiations from a position of strength," he said in a panel discussion.
Later, North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos spoke at a panel on accelerating Balkan countries’ EU accession.
Speaking in talks on reviving European competitiveness, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden said Europe lost competitiveness, but it can improve.
"We do not think enough as one bloc, but we very often think as 27 member states," he said.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan met with top Ukrainian officials, holding talks with Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
