The 62nd Munich Security Conference: Security in an era of global redesign

Report by Wissam Nasrallah, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

In Munich, the question is no longer whether the West will remain united, but under what conditions and at what cost.

At the Bayerischer Hof hotel, the 62nd Munich Security Conference opened amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, unprecedented tensions between Europe and the United States, and what appears to be the decline of the current global order—alongside the uncertain emergence of a new one whose structure, form, and defining characteristics remain unclear.

German Chancellor painted a grim picture of the international system, saying it no longer functions as it once did and calling for a stronger European role, including discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron on European nuclear deterrence within NATO and shared responsibility for security.

Macron, summarizing the European mood, said, “This is the time for boldness and a strong Europe,” noting that Europe’s Cold War-era security architecture is no longer adequate.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States under President Trump seeks to lead the rebuilding of the world, assuring that Washington has no intention of abandoning its alliances. 

Rubio also met with his Syrian counterpart,Asaad Al-Shaibani and the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, to discuss Syrian unity, integrating local forces, and continued cooperation against ISIS. He previously held a nearly hour-long session with his Chinese counterpart, from which no public statements were released.

In the context of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of the growing threat from drones, citing Iran’s role in supplying Russia with Shahed drones and insisting that Tehran must be stopped immediately.

Iranian officials were absent from the conference following the withdrawal of an invitation to Iran’s foreign minister. Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, whose family lost political power in Iran, attended, seeking U.S. support for regime change in Tehran.

The Munich Security Conference offered few concrete answers but reflected the extent of transformation underway in the international system. 

Europe is seeking a greater security role, while Washington recalibrates the terms of its leadership and alliances, even as crises accelerate from Ukraine to the Middle East, in a world undergoing change before its new contours become clear.