World leaders have convened to discuss the Ukraine crisis and other pressing issues at the annual meeting
The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) has officially begun at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, and security experts to tackle pressing global challenges, with a significant focus on the conflict in Ukraine.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is expected to open the event, setting the stage for three days of critical discussions on international security and geopolitical tensions.
This year’s MSC comes at a pivotal moment, following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January and ahead of a general election in Germany on February 23.
Chaired by Ambassador Christoph Heusgen of Germany, who has led the conference since 2022, the event will feature high-level debates on global governance, democratic resilience, climate security, and transatlantic relations.
Key attendees include US Vice President J.D. Vance, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Donald Trump announced on Thursday that US and Russian officials would meet in Munich on Friday, with Ukraine invited to participate. However, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky stated that he does not expect to hold talks with Russia on the MSC sidelines. Moscow has confirmed that no Russian officials were invited to the three-day conference.
Jens Stoltenberg will officially take over from Christoph Heusgen as the new chair of the Munich Security Conference on event’s final day.
