The 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) is set to run from February 13 to 15, serving as the premier global platform for debating international security threats.
This year's forum will bring together approximately 200 government representatives from 120 nations, including nearly 60 heads of state, over 30 defense ministers, and leaders of 40 international organizations. Yet, the atmosphere promises to be tense: the MSC's newly released annual report bears the telling title "In a State of Disruption," Ukrinform reports.
Conference Chairman Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger outlined the central themes: Germany's global role, Europe's ability to speak with "one voice," and the profound crisis in transatlantic relations. The diplomat described the latter as undergoing a "substantial crisis of confidence."
The report's analysts conclude that the world has entered a period of "wrecking ball politics"—the deliberate destruction of the existing order rather than its reform. "The most visible of those promising to free their country from the constraints of the existing order... is the current US administration," the document notes. Consequently, the international system established after 1945 is effectively disintegrating.
Particular attention is focused on Ukraine, where the war is days away from entering its fifth year. Ischinger urged Europeans to finally grasp the consequences of this "catastrophic emergency."
The report identifies Russia as the "most significant and direct threat" to Europe and NATO. Beyond conventional combat, Moscow is escalating hybrid activities: a surge in acts of sabotage and arson within the EU, massive cyberattacks and espionage, and systematic airspace violations. Such actions are designed to provoke "political paralysis" and exert psychological pressure on Western societies.
According to the Munich Security Index 2026, faith in the US as a reliable ally has plummeted. In G7 nations, only a fraction of the public believes government policies will improve lives for future generations. Against this backdrop, Washington is sending "mixed signals": Donald Trump's second administration has made it clear that the continent's defense is Europe's own responsibility.
"Washington’s approach... oscillates between reassurance, conditionality, and coercion," the authors emphasize. This has cornered Europeans into a "psychological trap" between denying reality and the necessity of accepting it. The US is increasingly linking security guarantees with economic interests, making protection "conditional."
The conference presents European leaders with a stark choice. Europe remains reliant on American weaponry, which "entrenches dependency instead of fostering genuine autonomy." The report's authors summarize the situation bluntly:
"The era in which Europe could rely on the US as the undisputed guarantor of security is over."
To avoid being left in a "grey zone" between spheres of influence, the continent must systematically develop its own defense industry and counter hybrid threats. The US delegation will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose visit is expected to be a moment of truth for the future of NATO.