Germany Five lessons learned from the Munich Security Conference
Is there still hope for the once close and friendly relations between Europe and the USA? Or is something irrevocably breaking down under US President Donald Trump? Questions like these dominated this year's Munich Security Conference (MSC), which is considered the most important meeting of its kind in the world. After three days of speeches and debates, the outcome is bleak, but at least not disastrous. Five lessons learned from a conference in the midst of the biggest upheaval in the world order since the end of the Cold War.
15.02.2026, 18:38
SDA
Transatlantic relations are not yet dead
"We are not seeking separation, we want to revive an old friendship" or "We will always be a child of Europe" - after US Vice President JD Vance's shock speech at last year's security conference, Marco Rubio's tone was markedly different. Anyone who wanted to could hear that the USA is once again reaching out to the Europeans.
US President Donald Trump's envoy raved about Mozart, Beethoven, Shakespeare, the Beatles and Cologne Cathedral as an expression of Europe's genius and culture and reminded the audience of its interwoven history. On Germany, he said, "Our great Midwestern heartland was built by German farmers and craftsmen who transformed the empty plains into a global agricultural powerhouse - and greatly improved the quality of American beer along the way."
The USA wants a friendship - but on Trump's terms
But has a hand really been extended after the bitter conflict over the Danish island of Greenland? Is Donald Trump's USA really prepared to work together as equals? Anyone who listened carefully found many reasons for doubt. On the subject of migration, for example, Rubio made it clear that there can only be cooperation if the Europeans follow Trump's political course.
"In the search for a world without borders, we have opened our doors to an unprecedented wave of mass migration that threatens the cohesion of our societies, the continuity of our culture and the future of our people," he said. The United States would like to work with our European friends to change this, but if necessary they are also prepared to do so alone.
He also accused the Europeans of poor and timid policies in other areas. "The alliance we want must not be unable to act because of fear," he demanded, accusing Europeans of being afraid of climate change, war and technology. He also made it unmistakably clear that the USA no longer believes in the traditional rules-based international order and sees great power politics as an alternative.
The Europeans want to stand on their own two feet
Last year, the Europeans were in a state of shock after the speech by US Vice President J.D. Vance. Among other things, he criticized the Europeans' fight against disinformation and hate speech as a restriction of freedom of expression and the exclusion of parties such as the AfD as undemocratic.
The horror at such positions has now given way to pragmatism. In his speech, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) acknowledged the "deep rift" in transatlantic relations as a reality to which we must now respond with more European independence. "Self-assertion" is the word of the hour. Europe must now take precautions for the "new era", which is characterized by great power politics.
The road to independence will be rocky
What does this mean in concrete terms? What does Europe need to do to stand firmly on its own two feet? Some ideas were discussed in Munich.
* Germany and France are talking about a possible European nuclear umbrella - as a supplement to the nuclear weapons of the Americans, on which NATO's deterrence strategy has so far been based. There are fears that this could anger the USA. Trump confidant Lindsey Graham does not see it that way. "I don't really care," the US senator told journalists. The main thing is that the nuclear deterrent is expanded. "The world needs a tough Nato."
* Merz also called for the mutual assistance clause in the EU treaty to be spelled out. Like Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, this stipulates that an attack on one EU state is considered an attack against all of them.
* There has long been a debate about how the EU, with its 27 member states, can become more capable of acting. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has once again called for the unanimity principle to be waived for more decisions.
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The current dispute over the FCAS air combat system, which Germany, France and Spain are planning, will now be the acid test. The project should actually have started a long time ago, but due to ongoing disagreements over production shares, it is unclear whether it will be realized at all. Failure of FCAS would be a super-GAU for Europe's independence efforts. A decision is to be made by the end of February.
Things look bleak for Ukraine
One head of state received far less attention than usual in Munich this time. In Munich, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi once again called for Ukraine to join the EU as early as 2027 and for continued military support, including Taurus cruise missiles from Germany. He is "tired but strong", said Selensky at a press conference.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte encouraged the Ukrainians and compared the speed of the Russian advance to that of a garden snail. However, the pressure on Ukraine is great - and the issue is clearly not a priority for the USA. Rubio initially did not address Russia's war of aggression at all in his speech; in a subsequent question and answer session, he admitted that it is unclear whether Russia is really willing to negotiate in the peace talks initiated by Trump for Ukraine.
In view of the crisis in transatlantic relations, the topic of Ukraine was not the focus of Chancellor Merz's speech either. And Selensky also had to listen to this from the sidelines: "Russia wants to make a deal, and Zelenskyj has to get moving or he's going to miss a great opportunity," Trump told reporters at the White House in Washington.
