Munich Security Conference

The 55th Munich Security Conference (MSC 2019) took place from 15 to 17 February 2019 at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. Among the 600[11] participants were heads of state and government from more than 35 countries, 50 foreign and 30 defence ministers, other representatives from the fields of politics, the military, the arms industry, business and science, as well as members of international intergovernmental and civil society organizations.[12]

The chairman of the conference Wolfgang Ischinger opened the event with the motto "The Great Puzzle: Who Will Pick Up the Pieces?"[13] The question was also discussed in the "Munich Security Report", the annual publication accompanying the event.[14][15][16] Ischinger described "a reorganization of central building blocks of the international order", which is characterized by a new era of Great Power rivalries between the USA, China and Russia as well as a certain leadership vacuum in the "liberal world order".[17] Prior to this he had emphasized the importance of multilateralism in today's world and described the European Union in this context as "alive and kicking".[13]

Federal Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen and British Defence Minister Gavin Williamson spoke at the opening.[18] Both politicians advocated greater European cooperation in defence.[19] Williamson highlighted the growing global threats and stressed the importance of the continued close cooperation of the NATO partners despite Brexit,[20] as NATO is indispensable for the protection of citizens. Von der Leyen spoke of "the Great Powers returning to rivalry", which also affected Germany and Europe[21] She declared that she would continue to support a closer military cooperation between the EU and the United Kingdom even after Brexit.[17]

Among the main topics of the conference were "the self-assertion of the European Union, transatlantic cooperation and the possible effects of a new era of competition between major powers"[12] When discussing European security, the European NATO members' defence budgets were also discussed. Other topics included the security situation in the Sahel, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, the Middle East and Syria, and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and trade barriers.[22]

During a panel discussion on the future of defense alliances, the Japanese Foreign Minister Tarō Kōno called for greater international cooperation for the protection of the international order: "If the U.S. can no longer act alone as a policeman, Japan, Europe and other like-minded countries will have to increase burden-sharing"[23] Other participants in the discussion, however, expressed doubts as to whether cooperating Central Powers will be able to stand their ground against rivaling goals of the Great Powers.[19][24]

The Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif criticized the USA's demand to the Europeans to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran and urged the European states to make a greater effort to preserve the agreement.[25]

Another focus of the conference was the INF Treaty. The speeches of the Vice President of the United States Mike Pence and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made it clear that the failure of the INF Treaty can hardly be prevented.[26] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg described the consequences of a failure of the INF Treaty as "very serious".[17] In order to save the treaty, some participants expressed the hope that China would participate in the negotiations on medium-range nuclear systems, but this was rejected by the Chinese foreign policy expert Yang Jiechi,[19] as China rejects a "multilateralisation of the INF Treaty for the Asia-Pacific region".[27] India expressed similar sentiments.[19] Chancellor Merkel warned against "blind rearmament" should the INF Treaty fail.[24]

When discussing transatlantic relations Observers described "rifts between the USA and Germany". These were also evident in the speech by Vice President Mike Pence, who defended US policy and called on European states to give the US more support in the conflicts with Iran or the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.[26][24] NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of multilateral structures and transatlantic cooperation in his speech.[28] German Chancellor Angela Merkel also emphasized the importance of international cooperation: "We must not break this up"[29] Within the US delegation, opinions were divided.[30] Former US Vice President Joe Biden, for example, was very critical of the current president's policies: "This will pass! We'll be back!"[26][24]

For the first time since the conference was founded, a panel discussion on the topic of "Climate Change and Security" was included in the conference's main programme. The German climate researcher Hans Joachim Schellnhuber warned sternly about the consequences of climate change. Bunny McDiarmid, co-managing director of Greenpeace, explained the European Fridays for Future movement to the audience and said: "We have schoolchildren marching in the streets because they don't believe that politicians act fast enough."[31] Amnesty International Secretary-General Kumi Naidoo warned: "Nature does not negotiate."[26] Representatives of the US government did not take part in the discussion. However, former US Secretary of State John Kerry sat in the audience and declared politics as being in the process of committing "consensual suicide of our planet".[31]

Among the heads of state and government attending the event were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine,[32] Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan, Klaus Iohannis of Romania, as well as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Hasina Wajed, and the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The US delegation included US Vice President Mike Pence, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, the daughter of the US President, Ivanka Trump, and her husband Jared Kushner.[12]

Other guests included Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Federica Mogherini, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, IMF Director Christine Lagarde, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Jawad Sarif, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim, the British Minister of Defence Gavin Williamson and his French colleague Florence Parly,[17] Yang Jiechi, as a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party responsible for foreign policy,[18] and the Nobel Peace Prize winners Tawakkol Karman and Beatrice Fihn.

On behalf of the German Federal Government, in addition to Chancellor Merkel and Defence Minister von der Leyen, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Vice-Chancellor and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, Economics Minister Peter Altmaier, Health Minister Jens Spahn and Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner attended the conference.[12]

The French President Emmanuel Macron,[33] as well as the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu[34] have cancelled their visit.

This year, the annual Ewald von Kleist Preis awarded at the conference was awarded to the Prime Ministers of Greece, Alexis Tsipras, and Northern Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, for their agreement in the name dispute between the two countries.[35] For the first time during the conference, the John McCain Dissertation Award for outstanding research on security-political issues was presented.[36]

In addition to the main conference there were numerous side events, including the Munich Young Leaders Program organized by the MSC and the Körber Foundation,[37] and other events on climate change and security hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme, energy security, cyber security, health security and international threats.[27]

According to conference chairman Wolfgang Ischinger, it was one of the most important conferences of recent years, as it had become clear that the international system was under extreme threat. By far the most important speech, in his opinion, came from Angela Merkel. As a negative tendency, it could be observed that although conflict parties used the conference to present their position, they did not want to discuss with each other what had originally been the strength of the conference.[14]

António Guterres, Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

Russian Senator Aleksey Pushkov and former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry

The 54th Munich Security Conference (MSC 2018) took place from the 16 to 18 February 2018 at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich.

Federal Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and French Defence Minister Florence Parly[38] spoke at the opening and reaffirmed their commitment to stronger military cooperation.[39] According to von der Leyen, (Permanent Structured Cooperation/PESCO)[40] marks an important step towards a European Security and Defense Union.[41] Parly added: PESCO should ignite a "Cultural Revolution" coming, followed by further projects.[42]

The Munich Security Report 2018 was published before the conference with the title? "To the Brink - and Back?".[43] The key themes of the conference and the Munich Security Report 2018 included the crisis of the liberal international order[44] and the consequences from Donald Trumps first year of US presidency.[45] "Last year, the world moved too close to a major international conflict," MSC chairman Wolfgang Ischinger stated in the run-up to the conference. "The rhetorical escalations of individual decision-makers are very worrying, whether on the Korean peninsula, in the Gulf or in Eastern Europe - if someone makes a wrong decision in charged situations, that could quickly set off a dangerous chain reaction," Ischinger warned.[46]

In particular, the future and capacity of the European Union and its relations with Russia and the United States were on the agenda of the MSC 2018.[47] In addition, the threat of the liberal international order, the numerous conflicts in the Middle East - in particular the worsening relations between the Gulf States - and the development of the political situation in the Sahel were discussed. Also disarmament issues were discussed, especially with respects to the conflict over the North Korean nuclear program.[47]

Panel discussions took place on the following topics:

• EU and NATO defense cooperation
• Nuclear security policy
• Security for the Sahel
• Jihad after the caliphate
• Countries between Russia and Europe

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu displays a piece of an armed Iranian drone that was shot down over Israel after infiltrating from Syria.[48] The idea to display the drone piece came from his spokesman David Keyes.[49]

Benjamin Netanyahu was the first-ever Israeli Prime Minister to take part in the conference.[50] While delivering his remarks, Netanyahu brandished a wing flap from an Iranian drone that infiltrated Israel a few weeks earlier and was shot down.[51] Netanyahu's dramatic display grabbed headlines around the world and inspired memes on social media.[52] Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called Netanyahu's prop a "cartoonish circus" that "does not even deserve the dignity of a response."[53] Netanyahu said the fact that Zarif was forced to respond was "the whole point" of the display and a public relations win.[54] Netanyahu's spokesman David Keyes was credited for his role in shaping the prime minister's media strategy.[55][56]

Other guests included UN Secretary-General António Guterres,[57] EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker[58] and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Arriving from the US were Secretary of Defense General James Mattis[59] and National Security Advisor to US President Donald Trump, H.R. McMaster.[60] The delegation of the US Congress was chaired by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse[61] and Robert Corker.[62]

Other visiting heads of state and heads of government included Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko,[63] Rwandan President Paul Kagame,[64] and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.[65] The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May,[66] her Austrian counterpart Chancellor Sebastian Kurz[67] and the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım[66] also participated in the MSC, as well as the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki[68] and the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.[69]

Numerous international organizations were also represented at MSC 2018. Secretary-General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Thomas Greminger, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Fatou Bensouda and Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde[70] participated. Other participants also included, Commission President of the African Union Moussa Faki Mahamat,[71] Director of the World Food Programme David Beasley, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer,[72] and Executive Director of Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth.[73]

Representatives of the leading federal regimes which attended the conference together with more than 30 members of parliament from all political groups were Federal Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière[74]and Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Gerd Müller.[75]

The main conference was accompanied by numerous side events organized by international institutions and organizations. These included the United Nations,[57] the African Union, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in, NATO, and NGOs and institutions such as the Robert Bosch Stiftung, the International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), Transparency International, German Aerospace Center, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Atlantic Council.

In addition, there were public events such as a literary series with the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German book trade association ) and several events on technology and cyber issues. On the eve of the conference, MSC hosted a "Town Hall Meeting" entitled "The Force Awakens: Artificial Intelligence and Modern Conflict" at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof.

The American politician John McCain was awarded the Ewald-von-Kleist-Preis for his services to the transatlantic relationship and the security conference. Since Senator McCain could not travel to Munich due to illness, his wife Cindy accepted the prize for him.[76] For many years, Senator McCain led the US congressional delegations at security conferences.[77] Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the conference, was awarded the Nunn-Lugar Award for Promoting Nuclear Security by the Carnegie Corporation and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Nicholas Burns, the former US Ambassador to NATO, stated: "We have troops in Poland and three Baltic countries. I think NATO is unified. We have to continue the sanctions against Russia."[78] Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian Senate, claimed that "NATO’s continued existence provokes new threats, rather than overcoming them. This conference has always been anti-Russian. Unfortunately, they try to blame Russia for all the problems facing the West."[78] German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel accused Russia and China of trying to "undermine" the liberal Western world order. Gabriel said that "Nobody should attempt to divide the European Union: not Russia, not China and also not the United States."[79]

The Munich city center was guarded by 4,000 police officers. According to the police, around 20 counter-demonstrations were planned.[50]

The 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC 2017) took place from 17 to 19 February 2017 at the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich. With a total of 680 participants,[80] including 30 heads of state and government, nearly 60 representatives of international organizations and 65 top business leaders,[81] it was the largest conference to date.[80] Prominent guests and speakers were UN Secretary General António Guterres, US Vice President Mike Pence, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Federica Mogherini, Donald Tusk and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. 700 journalists were also accredited for the event. In addition to the main events of the security conference, there were 1,350 bilateral meetings among MSC participants and delegations.[82]

The German Defense Minister, Ursula von der Leyen, and the new US Defense Secretary James Mattis, opened the conference together. In her speech, the German minister also commented on the controversy between Berlin and Washington regarding the appropriate level of defense spending,[83] stating: "We Germans have understood that after a period where we reaped the benefits of a peace dividend, we must now persistently invest in a security contingency reserve." At the same time, von der Leyen stressed the importance of close transatlantic cooperation[84] and said that Germany would "bear a larger, a fairer part of the burdens for the common Atlantic security". The minister said "NATO is not self-evident - neither for America nor for the Europeans".[85] At the same time, she pointed out that burden sharing among alliance partners was not a financial question at first but one where both partners should practice mutual support for each other. "This excludes all unilateral action – both unilaterally rushing ahead as well as unilaterally ducking responsibility", continued von der Leyen.[86] This reaffirmed her call for a common position and approach by NATO against Russia and the Islamic state.[87] At the same time, the principle that Islamic terror should be fought against and not Islam itself should be applied. Von der Leyen stressed that the world needs a "globally committed, responsible America".[85]

Her US counterpart, James Mattis, in his brief address, combined his country's clear commitment to NATO's collective defense with a strong demand for Europeans to boost their collective defense spending.[84] Secretary Mattis advocated a binding plan to meet the payment commitments made in 2014 in Wales and 2016 in Warsaw.[87] Mattis stressed that the Alliance should remain "credible, capable and relevant"[88] so that Europeans and Americans could jointly resist the enemies of democracy,[87] and both sides of the Atlantic share the legacy of friendship, freedom, and a trusting alliance. "American security is permanently tied to European security," and "Security is at its highest when a team makes sure of it," said Mattis.[83]

During a panel discussion on the future of the European Union entitled "Together or Separated" there was a clear disagreement between the Polish Foreign Minister, Waszczykowski and the Vice President of the European Commission Timmermans, described by observers as a "clash of civilizations on a small-scale".[89] The dispute was triggered by Timmermans' accusing the Polish government of spreading "alternative facts". "The EU is built on rights and values," Timmermans said, stressing that judges should not be subject to directives by governments. The common principles are binding on all Member States. The Polish Foreign Minister dismissed the allegations and accused the European Commission of misinterpreting Polish law.[90]

The German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, urged the EU members to be united. At the same time, he reaffirmed the need for a determined protection of the external borders by the Eastern European EU countries in order to avoid border controls within the EU.[91] Schäuble and MEP Elmar Brok both stressed the need for the EU to take its own internal and external security into its own hands in order to prevent a further loss of overall stature.[92]

The Irish singer Bono, a co-founder of ONE, praised the German development policy in Africa. Germany has an understanding of the economic opportunities and of the specific risks present on the continent, Bono explained. He called for a common security and development strategy to provide basic supplies, education and infrastructure for people in Africa. The singer warned of three extremes, which particularly threatened security: "Extreme ideology, extreme poverty and extreme climate." At the same time, Bono advocated making investments contingent on good governance standards.[93]

In his introduction to a panel discussion on the future of the West, US Senator McCain appealed to the West: "We must not abandon ourselves and each other, otherwise it would be decadence, and that leads to the failure of world orders," adding also that the 2017 security conference was more important than ever before.[94] McCain warned Western societies not to be paralyzed[95] but to rely on the conviction of their common values and openness.[96] "We may have become self-complacent, we have made mistakes", McCain said, but also stood behind his conviction "as long as courageous people believe in the West, the West will persist". The Senator expressed his appreciation for Germany and Chancellor Merkel for the "essential role", which they play in defending the ideas of the West. According to McCain, not every American may understand the meaning of his praise, but he thanked Germany and Merkel "in the name of all those who do grasp that".[94] During the subsequent discussion, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that supporting Ukraine is the easiest way to strengthen the West.[97] According to Poroshenko, Russia not only wants to redraw Ukraine "in Russian colors" but rather all of Europe. He also warned of a premature détente policy with Moscow, as an end to the sanctions regime would be interpreted as a sign of weakness and further strengthen Russian aggression. Poroshenko appealed to the conference participants: "Do not decide without Ukraine about Ukraine".[95] He told the press that in Ukraine, all of Europe was being defended against Russian aggression” and "that it could affect other countries after Ukraine".[98] All involved parties reiterated their commitment to the Minsk Accord. Representatives of the United States, above all Vice President Mike Pence, criticized Russia's conduct during the conflict. At the same time, it became known during the security conference that Moscow would, effective immediately, recognize passports issued by the separatist so-called Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, a move that equals diplomatic recognition of these two entities by Russia.[99][100]

In this context, British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson reaffirmed the importance of NATO. He interpreted the Brexit vote as a decision by the United Kingdom in favor of free trade and globalization.[101] He described Trumps election as an opportunity for positive change and asked to give the new US President an opportunity to govern before rushing to judgement.[87]

During an evening event NATO defense ministers from the UK, France, Netherlands, Canada and Turkey discussed the situation of the Western Alliance in the context of the financial dimension of providing for their collective security.[102]

British Defense Secretary, Michael Fallon, pointed to the gap between public commitments to defense spending and actual military expenditure by NATO members. 19 of the 28 Alliance countries contribute less than 1.5% of their GNP, and five members spend even less than 1%. Fallon therefore welcomed Washington's push for binding commitments to document the progress of the individual Alliance partners to reach the 2% target and provide for better burden-sharing in defense matters.[103]

Fallon referred to Russia under President Putin as a reason why NATO should be strengthened. It was Russia, whose cyberattacks and propaganda war was making the world less secure, Fallon continued. "It is Putin, not Trump, who is aggressive. It is Putin and not Trump, who sets up new medium-range missile." French Defense Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian outlined current changes in the role of NATO. Traditional capabilities such as territorial defense of the Alliance or the concept of "Forward Strategy” were once again gaining in importance. At the same time, Le Drian emphasized that nuclear deterrence was an integral part of ensuring the security of the Alliance. The Dutch defense minister, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, pointed out that Europeans had been able to take a peace dividend over a long period of time, even when the security situation deteriorated.[102] Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fikri Işık, stressed that not only the eastern but also the southern flank of NATO was increasingly under pressure and called for NATO to be strengthened in the southeast.[103]

During the conference, Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, explained Beijing's position on current issues of foreign and security policy. Wang Yi discussed Chinese policies related to Russia and the US. Observers also interpreted this as an expression of a shift in international power structures, as Europe was only mentioned in the margins.[104] Wang Yi described his country as a pioneer of international cooperation.[105] In the context of North Korea, the Foreign Minister expressed his support for the resumption of the six-party talks in order to resolve the conflict with North Korea[106] and to break the "negative spiral in the nuclear issue". At the same time, Wang Yi announced in Munich, an import stop for coal from North Korea.[107]

Chancellor Angela Merkel during her speech

On the second day of the conference, Chancellor Merkel described the great changes in foreign policy in her speech[108] and called for a new global order pattern, which would have to be developed 25 years after the end of the East-West confrontation.[109] The "world has radically changed, we have no fixed order", Merkel described the situation.[110] At the same time, she promoted a liberal, worldwide multilateralism based on international structures worth fighting for.[111] The Chancellor included amongst others NATO, which has grown in importance due to Russian annexation of the Crimea and the "conflicts in the east of Ukraine, during which Russia supported the separatists". Russia had violated the crucial principle of the territorial integrity of states on which peace and security depended upon, Merkel continued. The Chancellor confirmed that the threats and challenges for the security of the West repeatedly highlighted by the American side were real. Therefore, "we need the military force of the United States of America".[110]

"We will do more for defense policy", Merkel said, supporting the target of spending two percent of GDP on defense in the future following NATO's 2014 agreement to that effect. "We will make every effort, we feel committed to this goal", she said. "Germany knows its responsibility here." In this context, Merkel conceded, however, that it would hardly be possible to increase German defense expenditure by more than 8 percent annually, which would be necessary to achieve that common NATO goal. At the same time, the Chancellor described a concept of security which, in addition to defense,[110] also included development aid and crisis prevention, and which costs would have to be taken into account as well.[112] Merkel stressed the need for fight against the root causes of the refugee crisis. "We Germans, as we have seen in the context of the refugees, always have an interest in ensuring that people elsewhere have a proper and good existence."[110]

On the current state of the EU, the Chancellor expressed herself thoughtfully. According to Merkel, the EU is in a "difficult phase". As a cause, she argued that after the introduction of the euro only later measures to secure it were introduced. Similarly, the principle of freedom of movement of persons had been implemented before measures were taken on the external borders to limit migration.[113]

US Vice President Mike Pence during the 53rd MSC

US Vice President Pence reaffirmed the United States' readiness to ensure mutual security guarantees: "The US strongly supports NATO, and will remain steadfast in its commitments to the transatlantic alliance." This statement was received with applause by the conference participants. On the promise to continue to be on the side of Europe, which is linked to "the ideals of freedom, democracy, justice and the rule of law", many participants in the security conference had hoped[108] that the USA would not withdraw, but also continue to shoulder the responsibility in the world, according to Pence's commitment. At the same time, the Vice President confirmed the American view that Europeans had long since ignored the principle of fair burden-sharing and warned: "This undermines the foundations of our alliance."[113] Pence warned the conference participants: "Let me say quite clearly: The President of the United States expects our allies to keep their word and fulfill their commitment. For most, this means that the time has come to do more."[114] The Vice President demanded that NATO increase its contribution to the fight against international terrorism,[113] according to Pence, currently the biggest threat to the West.[115] At the same time, the conflict in Eastern Ukraine has to be stopped. Pence demanded that Moscow abide by the Minsk peace accord for Eastern Ukraine and ensure that the conflict is de-escalated. If this did not happen, the US would hold Russia responsible for its actions. In this context, Pence emphasized the US administration's openness to find new ways of cooperation with Moscow.[116]

UN Secretary General António Guterres during the conference

The former Portuguese Prime Minister and newly elected UN Secretary General called for the strengthening of multilateral structures to address global problems with global responses.[117] Guterres described Germany as a "very solid pillar" for the international order and praised Berlin's commitment to international organizations.[118] At the same time, the UN Secretary General stressed that the UN needs fundamental reforms that would enable the organization to develop simpler and quicker procedures for crisis management and to become more transparent.[119] With blunt words, Guterres described the UN's weaknesses and demanded far-reaching reforms: "We all feel a lack of trust in international organizations. The UN structures are dysfunctional." Guterres also criticized the lack of coordination and as well as the insufficient performance reviews in development cooperation.[120] In the context of a short-term solution to the conflict in Syria, Guterres expressed little optimism.[91] Peace in Syria is only possible if none of the conflicting parties believe in a military success, stated UN Secretary General, and he continued, without a comprehensive solution, a victory over the IS is not possible. Only in this way can the terrorists be deprived of their foundations and can be locally combated.[121]

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg urged European NATO members to take on more burdens in the alliance instead of shifting responsibility to the US: "The post-war generation faced this challenge and now we have to do so." In this context, Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, noted that defense investments are an important prerequisite for security, but that they are not the only one.[115] The "European path" of security policy complements these aspects with questions of education, employment growth and responsible governance, Mogherini added.[93] German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel was skeptical about the 2 percent of GDP on defense spending target. The Europeans should not be pushed by the United States to increase defense investments, Gabriel demanded. The Foreign Minister said, he did not know where the funds would come from within a short time and did not want to "over-interpret" the common goal.[122]

Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov described NATO as an "institution of the Cold War, both in its mind and in its heart".[111] He blamed NATO's expansion for an increase in regional tensions.[123] Lavrov's statements were in contradiction to the statement by Chancellor Merkel, who had spoken of the "sad meaning" which NATO had regained due to the Russian aggression[110] and in response to which NATO's eastern flank had to be strengthened.[124] The Russian Foreign Minister called for a reduction in the global influence of Western countries, as the world could not be ruled in the long run by an "elite club of states". In this context, he spoke of a "post-Western world order",[124] which is characterized by the fact that "each country is defined by its own sovereignty".[111] Lavrov dismissed allegations that his country was trying to manipulate elections in Western countries and called them an "incomprehensible obsession of the West with cybersecurity and cyber espionage". According to Lavrov, no evidence has been found implicating Russia.[125] The Russian Foreign Minister demanded more honesty and called for a "post-fake era" in international relations.[115] At the same time, he promised "pragmatic relations" between the United States and Russia. Lavrov said, a strengthening of the US-Russian relationship would be in the interest of both countries.[124]

Microsoft founder Bill Gates during the 53rd MSC

In a panel discussion on global health risks, Microsoft founder Bill Gates warned of new forms of terrorism with biological weapons. Gates said that in a few years, according to epidemiologists, terrorists might be capable of developing genetically modified species of deadly agents on the computer screen.[126] Such highly infectious viruses could spread very quickly and kill more than 30 million people in less than a year, Gates warned, recalling the "Spanish flu", which had claimed up to 50 million victims worldwide in 1918.[127]

According to the Microsoft founder, the world is currently not prepared for such a threat in any way. In addition, the link between health issues and international security is ignored, even though constant biotechnological progress allows the development of new vaccines and medicines which would help to curb epidemics early on. Finally, the measures to protect against pandemics or targeted attacks with biological weapons are largely identical.[128]

Gates reported on the launch of a "Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations". This organization, a public-private partnership, aims to help protect against epidemics by advancing the development of vaccines immediately after a threat is identified.Gates described the need to prepare for crises triggered by epidemics, as well as for military responses in the event of a conflict. This also includes the analysis of existing epidemic risks and the testing of possible aid measures. This is the only way to gain experience on how diseases spread and how people react to such situations. According to Gates, research must be carried out on how to respond to the panic reactions of the general population and the over-congestion of transport or communication systems in order to ensure sufficient medical care at all times. The American philanthropist also highlighted what he regards as the three greatest global dangers: nuclear war, pandemics, and climate change. The world is the least prepared for pandemics, and Gates warned that this was a real problem.[129]

The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, pointed to the importance of good governance in this context. Kagame warned that if the government, the authorities, and the people do not trusted each other, essential security mechanisms, such as the health system, would fail in crisis situations such as epidemics.[93]

German Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière and US Secretary of Homeland Security, John F. Kelly, took part in a panel discussion on combating terrorism. The German Interior Minister spoke out against placing all of Islam under suspicion, but called for a joint fight against Islamic terrorism. De Maiziere objected to demands for a new strategy against terror, but rather demanded the implementation of what had already been decided, including in particular, a better exchange of data. The minister, on the other hand, did not think that an EU-wide intelligence organization would be feasible given the lack of political support for such an entity. At the same time, however, the European terrorist protection group in Den Haag should improve the information exchange between the EU Member States' intelligence services. The newly appointed US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly spoke also about the "travel ban" issued by the Trump government to citizens from seven Muslim countries. Kelly announced that after a transitional period during which visas and work permits should already be issued, there will be a "better-defined version" of the entry stop. The Pakistani Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif, expressed his critical opinion on America's approach in the discussion and stated that such a travel ban was not helping in the fight against terrorism, but rather promotes Islamophobia, which terrorists will take advantage of.[130]

During a speech on the situation in the Middle East, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, explained his country's assessment of the international situation and the Middle East. He stressed that Iran would respect the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and not acquire or build nuclear weapons. At the same time however, Sarif said, that the agreement made to this point must be respected by all sides, but that this was not currently the case. Iran is not receptive to sanctions, according to the Iranian Foreign Minister, reaffirming his country's official denial on the development of nuclear weapons, calling for the worldwide abolition of nuclear weapons.[131] Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman in his speech accused Iran of pursuing nuclear ambitions and destabilizing the situation in the Middle East through proxy wars and the associated smuggling of weapons. In the context of the Middle East conflict, Liberman advocated for a two-State solution with the Palestinians.[132] The Turkish Foreign Minister, Çavuşoğlu, also described Iran as a source of turmoil in the region and said that the country wanted to turn Syria and Iraq into Shiite countries. An armistice should be reached with Russia and Iran, demanded Çavuşoğlu, who described the Geneva talks as the basis for a political solution. However, in order to defeat IS, a better strategy and appropriate forces were needed. According to the Turkish Foreign Minister, IS had nothing to do with Islam, which stands for peace. IS is a terrorist organization, like certain Kurdish organizations in Turkey. The minister affirmed that the country has no Kurdish problem, but a terrorism problem with the PKK.[131]

Saudi Foreign Minister, Al-Jubeir, also called Iran a problematic actor in the region, calling it the world's largest terrorist supporter. In this context, Al-Jubeir raised the question of why Shiite Iran had previously been spared from terrorist attacks. Despite this criticism of Tehran's policy, Al-Jubeir expressed his confidence that the various conflicts could be resolved, in Yemen or Syria, if all sides showed willingness to do so in the future. Al-Jubeir also expressed his confidence in cooperation with the new U.S. president, since Trump was a pragmatist and not an ideologue.[131] The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, expressed doubts about the US commitment to Syria. He missed a clear American strategy for Syria, de Mistura deplored. At the same time, he accused the United States of not taking an active part in the search for a political peace process.[133] He called for a political solution for the conflict in Syria.[134]

During the conference, Jane Harman, President of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, discussed with US Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Lindsey Graham and Christopher Murphy the policies of the Russian Federation under Putin. Democrat Senator Murphy was convinced that Russia had tried to actively influence the 2016 US presidential elections, and demanded that this be examined by Congress and to possibly impose further sanctions. He described a new "Russian expansionism", which could not only be pushed back by an increase in the rate of defense, but at the same time required further measures.

Republican Senator Graham, confirmed the statements of his previous speaker and urged US President Trump to take decisive action against Russia, regardless of the fact that the 2016 election attacks were directed not against his party but the Democrats.[131] He advocated for a cross-party proposal to impose further sanctions against Moscow. The President, he hoped, would agree that he would have to work with Members of Congress as "defenders of the free world". The influential internal Republican party critic of Donald Trump predicated that further attempts of interference would occur, e.g. in French or German election campaigns, if there was no effective response to Moscow's cyber attacks. The Senator at the same time reaffirmed the importance of the media, which he described as indispensable in democratic societies.[135]

During the conference, the outgoing German Federal President, Joachim Gauck, was awarded the Ewald von Kleist Award. Gauck was awarded for his keynote speech at the 50th Security Conference in which he had asked Germany to take on more international responsibility.[136] The prize was presented by the Finnish President, Sauli Niinistö, who described Gauck as an "advocate of civil rights", who had already worked as pastor in the GDR to overcome seemingly insoluble problems. Gauck was not able to accept the prize personally due to illness, and was represented by his Secretary of State, David Gill, who also read the acceptance speech. In his address, the President Gauck urged German society to commit to freedom and to further realize it: "The future is the space of our possibilities - the space of our freedom."[137]

Foreign Ministers Sigmar Gabriel from Germany, Sergei Lavrov from Russia, Pavlo Klimkin from Ukraine and Jean-Marc Ayrault from France met on the sidelines of the conference to discuss developments in Ukraine as representatives of the Normandy Group.[138] In the months before, implementation of the Minsk Agreements had repeatedly stalled. German Foreign Minister Gabriel expressed his optimism and announced that "all parties will use their influence in order to implement the connections from the Contact Group".[139] The fact that the US did not object to a meeting of the Normandy Group was interpreted by observers as a sign of Washington's support for Germany's role as a mediator in the conflict.[140] The announcement by the Russian government regarding the recognition of ID cards from separatist areas was criticized by the Ukrainian government as a "provocation".[139]

The conference organizers published the "Munich Security Report" (MSR) shortly before the launch of the MSC. The publication was titled "Post-Truth, Post-West, Post-Order"? and described a growing uncertainty in world politics, especially after Donald Trump's election as US president.[81] The report, a collaborative effort by the MSC and various think tanks, also highlighted the challenges for international security policies and raised the spectre of an end to the current Western-dominated world order.[141] The MSR also discussed the dangers that "fake news" implies for the culture of debate in Western democracies.[142]

The 52nd Munich Security Conference took place from 12 to 14 February 2016. 600 international guests attended the event, including 30 heads of state, 70 foreign and defense ministers, directors of various intelligence agencies and 700 journalists from 48 countries.[143] The conferences focused on the conflict between NATO and the Russian Federation, Syria and the fight against IS, Middle East situation, Future of NATO, North Korean nuclear program, Intelligence Services, Ewald von Kleist Award 2016, Situation in Africa as well as Refugee crisis.

The 51st Munich Security Conference was held from 6 to 8 February 2015. Among the more than 400 international participants[144] from nearly 80 countries were also 20 heads of state, 70 foreign and defense ministers[145] and 30 CEOs of large companies.[146] The conferences focused on the conflict in Ukraine, nuclear negotiations with Iran and the war on terror as well as the global refugees crisis.

The 50th Munich Security Conference was held from the 31 January to 2 February 2014.[147] The conference focused on the Euromaidan, New security risks, Loss of importance for Europe, NSA-Affair and New order in former Yugoslavia, as well as Middle east, and Iran's nuclear programme.

The 49th Munich Security Conference was held from the 1 to 3 February 2013.[148] The conference focused on the European debt crisis, transatlantic relations, the crisis regions of Mali and the Middle East, as well as energy security and cyber terrorism.[149]

In 2009, the Munich Young Leaders was first launched in cooperation with the Körber Foundation. Held in parallel to the Security Conference, this annual roundtable series is designed to directly involve the next generation of decision-makers into the main conference proceedings.[1][150] The Roundtable agendas as well as the participants and speakers lists are published online.[151]

In addition to the main conference, a new series of events, the MSC Core Group Meetings, were launched in November 2009 in Washington, DC.[152] The meetings provide a select group of participants the opportunity to discuss key issues of international security policy in order to continue the work of the Security Conference and provide impulses.[153] The location of the Core Group Meetings always varies. The subsequent events took place in Moscow in 2010,[154] Beijing in 2011,[155] as well as Doha in 2013.[156] A second meeting was held for the first time in 2013 in Washington, DC. The location of the 2014 Core Group Meeting was New Delhi. The issues discussed in New Delhi were the threats of terrorism and cyber-attacks, questions of maritime security, regional and global security structures and concepts for new global governance.

The Core Group Meeting 2015 was held in Vienna.[157] The crisis in Ukraine was a central theme of the meeting, which featured the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and the Russian deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov. Klimkin urged the European states to confront the Russian government head-on.[158] The Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz stated that any border changes in Europe were "unacceptable", but at the same time stressed the need for cooperation with Russia. While the Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter proposed a neutral status for Ukraine,[159] the Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić as OSCE Chairman called for a strengthening of his organization in order to prevent future conflicts.[160]

Another Core Group Meeting took place in Tehran in October 2015. Key topics of the meeting were the implementation of the Vienna Agreement concerning the Iranian nuclear program and the political situation in the region. German Foreign Minister Steinmeier, who opened the conference together with the Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif,[161][162] emphasized the importance of transparency and trust for the successful implementation of the Vienna agreement:[163] "After the game is before the game".[162][164] Regarding the war in Syria, the Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif announced the readiness of his country to cooperate with all governments involved in resolving the conflict.[165]

In April 2016, another MSC Core Group Meeting took place in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. The security situation in Africa, the fight against international terrorism, and the challenges posed by climate change and epidemics were central themes of the meeting.[166] The Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the mutual global interdependencies in all of these issues.[167] Other participants included Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Smaїl Chergui, African Union Commissioner,[168] former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former German President Horst Köhler.[169]

Another Core Group Meeting was held in Beijing in November 2016.[170] Key topics of the meeting were China's role in the international order, conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region and the geopolitical importance of the "New Silk Road".[171] Deputy Chinese Foreign Minister, Zhang Yesui, stressed in his opening speech the importance of dialogue and cooperation for the security of the region.[172] During the core group meeting, Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao, reaffirmed his country's willingness to contribute to peace and security globally.[173] Other participants included Fu Ying, chairwoman of the National People's Congress Foreign Affairs Committee, Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Markus Ederer, secretary of state at the German Foreign Office, Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus Group, and several members of the Bundestag.[174]

In 2012, the first Cyber Security Summit was held in cooperation with Deutsche Telekom in Bonn.[175][176] The first event was conducted under Chatham House Rule. According to media reports, the supervisory board chairman of Deutsche Bank, Paul Achleitner, the head of the construction group Bilfinger Berger, Roland Koch, as well as Peter Terium, the CEO of the energy supplier RWE and Johannes Teyssen of E.ON were in attendance.[177]

During the summit several working groups analyzed existing cyber risks and dangers for the following industries:

• Energy
• Finances
• Health
• Logistic
• Media
• Production

On November 11, 2013 the second summit took place in Bonn. The gathering had the following four topics:[178]

1. Rebuilding trust in the digital society
2. New threat scenarios for the economy
3. Gaining trust, restoring trust
4. Cyber defense is becoming a business-critical core skill

Unlike in 2012, the list of speakers was published:

• Neelie Kroes, Vice-President (Digital Company) of the European Commission
• Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, German Federal Minister of Justice
• Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Interior Minister of Austria
• Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference Foundation gGmbH; Executive Vice President for Government Relations at Allianz SE
• Ehud Barak, former Prime Minister of Israel
• Jürgen Stock, Vice-President of the German Federal Criminal Police
• Scott Charney, Vice President of Microsoft
• Arthur W. Coviello, Jr., CEO of RSA Security
• Thomas Rid, lecturer at King's College London; author on issues of cyber security
• René Obermann, CEO of Deutsche Telekom; Vice President of BITKOM e.V.
• Timotheus Höttges, Chief Financial and controlling Officer of Deutsche Telekom AG; designated CEO
• Thomas Kremer, Director of Privacy, Legal Affairs and Compliance at Deutsche Telekom AG
• Klaus Schweinsberg, former editor of the business magazines Capital and Impulse; Founder and director of the Center for Strategy and senior management

The third summit was held on 3 November 2014.[179] It was attended by 180 representatives from the fields of politics, economy, EU and NATO.[180] In his opening speech, Telekom CEO Höttges highlighted the growing number of attacks on data and digital infrastructures, where the Telekom network recorded 1 Million attacks daily. He quoted a CSIS study that estimated the global damage caused by cybercrime to be US$575 billion per year. To protect European data against access by US authorities, Höttges called for a revision of the Safe Harbor Agreement. The intelligence coordinator of the federal government, Klaus-Dieter Fritsche, supported Höttges demands.[181]

MSC Chairman Ischinger described the great geopolitical importance of cyber security as a result of Ukraine conflict, which had marked the return of war as political means in Europe.[182] State Secretary Brigitte Zypries stated the planned IT Security Act in which the reporting of cyber attacks on companies from sensitive sectors was an obligation as the contribution by the German Federal Government to increase data security.[181] Andy Mueller-Maguhn, a former spokesman for the Chaos Computer Club, stressed the importance of strong encryption for data security and warned of the "back doors", like those that RSA Security installed for the NSA.[182] Elmar Brok, Chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg urged to ward off cyber attacks with offensive actions and stressed the need for a deterrence component.[183][184] Ben Wizner, representative of the American Civil Liberties Union and lawyer of Edward Snowden,[182] contradicted against those needs.[185] In separate working groups, the topics of Digital Defense, Cyber governance, Promotion of Innovation in regards to data security and preventive data protection were also discussed.

The fourth Cyber Security Summit was held on 19 and 20 September 2016 Palo Alto, Silicon Valley.[186] The summit was jointly convened by MSC, Deutsche Telekom and Stanford University. 140 representatives from the fields of politics, security and business participated in the gathering.[187] A central theme of the meeting was the 2016 U.S. presidential election and its possible manipulation by cyber attacks.[188] The chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, expressed his fear that such attacks could damage confidence in democratic elections in general.[187]

Further topics were the defense against cyberterrorism, the future of warfare, the economic relevance of cybersecurity and the development of norms and rules for the Internet.[189] MSC chairman Ischinger called for closer coordination between the worlds of politics and technology,[188] in order to create the basis for an open, free and secure web.[190]

In connection with the Internet of Things, Marc Goodman from the American Think Tank Singularity University warned that "everything could be hacked". Goodman predicted the Internet would feature an "epic battle" of different interest groups.[191] Peter R. Neumann from King's College London described the hierarchical structure of law enforcement agencies as an organizational problem in combating cyber-crime, at odds with the de-centralized operating mode of the Internet.[187]

Other participants included Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and CTO of CrowdStrike, Michael Chertoff, former United States Department of Homeland Security, chairman and founder of the Chertoff Group, Michael McFaul, director of the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University and former US Ambassador in Russia, and Iddo Moed, Coordinator of Cybersecurity for the Israeli Foreign Ministry,[192] Christopher Painter, Coordinator for Cyber Issues at the US State Department,[193] Latha Reddy, former National Security Adviser of India and currently a member of the Global Commission on Internet Governance,[192] as well as, Uri Rosenthal, former Dutch foreign minister and current Special Envoy of his country for cyber politics.[193]

Together with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the MSC has been organizing the Energy Security Summit since 2013.[194] The first meeting was held on 10 July 2013 in the ballroom of the Frankfurt Palmengarten under the auspices of Federal Economics and Technology Minister Philipp Rösler and Environment Minister Peter Altmaier. Other topics of the event were climate change, the geostrategic consequences of fracking and the German Energy transition.[195]

The second Energy Security Summit was held in Berlin on 27 and 28 May 2014. Key topics of the meeting included the "shale gas revolution" in the United States[196] and the conflict in Ukraine. In his speech, Foreign Minister Steinmeier stressed the important role of energy policy for foreign and security policy.[197] Steinmeier pushed for a European Energy Union and urged the EU countries to demonstrate unity with regard to the Ukraine conflict. The minister stressed the need to make compromises in the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute,[198] and warned against too high expectations of substituting American shale gas for Russian gas supplies. EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger also spoke in favor of a European Energy Union with uniform gas prices. He also described Germany's energy policy as being in a "Romantic Valley”. The strategic issue of energy would require Germany to get involved with its technological and political competence, Oettinger stated.[199] During the meeting, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatsenyuk described the Ukraine conflict as a "global security conflict" which only Russia would be responsible for. Yatsenyuk reiterated his country's refusal to pay a "political price" in exchange for gas supplies from Russia. The premier also expressed the willingness of his country to participate in a common energy policy with the EU.[200]

The third Energy Security Summit was held on 5 and 6 May 2015, again in Berlin.[201] During the meeting, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh laid out his country's plans for the development of the energy sector after the end of sanctions. After the previously reached deal to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis, the Minister demanded the rapid lifting of the economic sanctions. He dashed hopes that Tehran would build a gas pipeline to Europe to weaken the dominant role of Russia in the European gas market, citing transit problems and costs.[202] At the same time, the Minister announced that his government would invest US$180 billion in the Iranian oil and gas industry by 2022.[203] Other topics at the meeting included, among others, the proposed Energy Union in Europe, which both Maroš Šefčovič,[204] Vice-President of the European Commission, and Rainer Baake, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, called for,[205] as well as the German energy transition. Bärbel Höhn, chairman of the German Bundestag's Environment Committee, referred to it as an important contribution by Germany to the creation of a global structure of a decentralized energy supply, which reduces dependencies and contributes to security and peace.[206] Criticism came from Greenpeace head Kumi Naidoo, who stated that the high share of brown coal used for electricity generation was the “Achilles heel” of Germany's energy policy.[207] Michael Fuchs, Deputy Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, criticized the high burden placed on German citizens due to subsidies of 480 billion Euro earmarked for the energy transition.