US EditionThe End of the World Order as We Know It? What the Munich Security Conference Means for the UK
The conference revealed tensions over Ukraine, Arctic sovereignty, and calls for European strategic autonomy amid doubts about U.S. commitment, with leaders debating nuclear deterrence and defense reforms.
- On February 13, 2026, the 62nd Munich Security Conference convened at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich as delegates questioned whether the transatlantic alliance is slowly drifting apart.
- Washington's 'America First' posture surfaced amidst tensions over Greenland after Trump said last month he was ready to take control, sidelining Europe from Ukraine peace talks, the summit revealed.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned `But I'm afraid we have to put it in even harsher terms: This order, as flawed as it has been even in its heyday, no longer exists`, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged action, saying `We do not want allies to rationalize the broken status quo rather than reckon with what is necessary to fix it`.
- Ursula von der Leyen called for Article 42.7 to be activated, urging mutual defence, as the EU launched an 800 billion euro programme to boost readiness.
- Against a Munich report warning of systemic challenges, Zelenskyy urged Europe to set a date so Ukraine is 'technically ready' to join the bloc, and said Europe was 'practically not present at the table.
34 Articles
34 Articles
A United States faced as never before in recent years with Europe participated this weekend in the 62nd Munich Security Conference without its President Donald Trump, who decided to skip the meeting, and with the very present memory of last year's intervention, by Vice President J.D. Vance.A year ago, Trump's right hand not only accused European leaders of not taking charge of their own defense, but also assured that for the White House the "thr…
At Munich, a U.S. Change in Tone Leaves Ukraine’s Allies Unconvinced
MUNICH, Germany — The unofficial mascot for the 2026 Munich Security Conference was an elephant. But if the elephant in the room was the question of whether the United States was trampling over the world order and its relationship with Europe nearly four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it was not ignored, but repeatedly confronted.
At the Munich Security Conference, the US and Europe demonstrate their solidarity. However, doubts about the new beginning in transatlantic relations remain.
At the Security Conference, Europe is showing more distance to the US. A debacle that others already have behind them – they hope for Europe. Observations from Munich
At the Munich Security Conference, the U.S. sounded conciliatory, while Europeans were self-confident, but the differences could not be discussed away.
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