By Oyintari Ben
Russia’s war in Ukraine was the main topic of discussion at the just concluded Munich Security Conference.
The conference’s chairman, previously the adviser to Angela Merkel on foreign and security policy, ended by urging Germany to increase its defence spending.
Christoph Heusgen, a former close advisor to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and ambassador to the US, is the next chairman of the Munich Security Conference.
He said the many panellists had made it plain that Europe “needs to do its homework” in order to “continue to have this really strong trans-Atlantic solidarity,” which he claimed was on show over the weekend. He said this as he wrapped off the event on Sunday.
Heusgen added that this message had been “extremely powerful” during the event: “European and German defence funding must increase.” “We need to be able to defend Ukraine while simultaneously strengthening our defence.”
Heusgen stated that his most significant take away from the occasion was a strong sense of oneness across the Atlantic and beyond.
“We stand united in our refusal to accept this violation of civilisation. We reject the idea that European borders are altered by force in the twenty-first century. We reject the atrocious war that is being fought, “he said.
Heusgen reflected on the event and added that, of all the speakers, Volodymyr Zelenskyy had been the “most remarkable.” Zelenskyy was unable to attend in person, he said.
“He appeared on the screen. He was here last year. It was his last foreign trip before Vladimir Putin decided to invade. This year, he appeared on screen here. And we all hold out hope that he would show up in person here next year, which would mean that this terrible conflict would be finished.”
This is the first Munich Security Conference in years, with Russia sending no delegation. The conference typically emphasises inviting as many participants as possible, regardless of how difficult the ties may be.
However, Russia announced earlier in February that it would not send any delegation, claiming it had evolved into a “trans-Atlantic conference” in recent years.
