How the Munich Security Conference exposed Europe's lack of leadership
Nearly 6,000 participants gathered over three days at the Munich Security Conference to discuss the future of the world and Ukraine.
The main topic of this year’s forum was multipolarisation. Unsurprisingly, the conference confirmed that a strong and unified alliance between the US and Europe no longer exists.
When US Vice President J.D. Vance described Europe as America’s main competitor and equated its supposed democratic shortcomings to Soviet-era oppression, his remarks sent a chill through the European attendees in Munich.
Read more on how European leaders reacted and what the conference ultimately revealed in the column by political scientist and YES executive director Svitlana Kovalchuk – The Munich nightmare: how European leaders faced a new reality for the first time.
A weak European response to a strong American message
Kovalchuk notes that while the US delivered a strong speech, Europe failed to present a unified and forceful response.
"This situation is a result of the lack of European leadership and internal struggles in key EU countries," she writes.
She points out that French President Emmanuel Macron did not attend the conference at all.
Instead, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his likely successor, Friedrich Merz, took the stage. According to Kovalchuk, Scholz’s speech resembled that of a leader on his way out, hesitant to make a bold political statement or secure his place in history. Merz, on the other hand, spoke like someone who has yet to hold formal office or wield real influence.
Scholz reiterated a key historical lesson: never again fascism.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock noted that behind the scenes, US officials presented a different stance than they did on stage. She claimed that in private meetings, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Representative Keith Kellogg emphasised NATO unity.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a "more pragmatic, more focused, and more determined Europe," urging the continent to act boldly and significantly increase defence investments.
To address this new reality, she announced that the European Commission would propose an exemption from the Stability and Growth Pact for defence spending, allowing member states to raise their military budgets.
According to Kovalchuk, the only truly strong European leader at the conference was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He declared, "The time has come to create a European army so that Europe's future depends solely on Europe, and its security remains in European hands."
The next day, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs reflected on Europe’s response to the blunt American message in Munich, stating: "We first need to process this."
He urged European leaders to take a deep breath and focus on what can be done, acknowledging that the US had sent a "very clear message."
"Perhaps the result of this year’s Munich conference will be an awakened Europe, one that starts acting more decisively and strategically rather than wasting time on lengthy deliberations, because time may already be running out," Kovalchuk suggests.
She also cites NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who remarked during the conference: "If Europeans want a seat at the table, they must become a significant player."
According to Rutte, Europe must present "effective proposals" to contribute to peace in Ukraine.
Summing up the intense three-day event, Munich Security Conference Chairman Christoph Heusgen called this year’s gathering "a European nightmare," a reflection of the current state of global security.