The 62nd Munich Security Conference, one of the world’s leading events in international politics, defense, and global security, officially opened today at the historic Bayerischer Hof hotel.
The conference will run until February 15 and will bring together over 1,000 participants from nearly 115 countries, including over 50 heads of state and government, approximately 65 foreign ministers, and 30 defense ministers. Key guests include German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who delivered the opening address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as high-ranking representatives from China, the EU, and many other countries.
Key discussion topics include:
the future of NATO and transatlantic relations amid the changing US position
the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and European security
the Middle East crisis and its global implications
cybersecurity and artificial intelligence in the military sphere
the role of China and the countries of the Global South in the new world order
The event is taking place against a backdrop of serious tensions between the US and Europe, as well as within the European Union itself. Many experts believe that the contours of a new European and global security architecture for the coming years will be laid in Munich in the coming days.
The Munich conference is traditionally considered the “unofficial Davos” of security—it is here that key political decisions are often made long before they are publicly announced.