The annual three-day gathering in the Bavarian city saw a whole host of leaders offer, at times, competing visions of the world.
Global leaders, ministers and other key policymakers descended on Munich over the weekend to discuss the main challenges facing the world, with Ukraine and the possible launch of peace negotiations with Russia topping the agenda.
The must-watch speeches, delivered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the new US Vice-President JD Vance, starkly exposed how disconnected the two sides of the Atlantic are becoming over their assessments of the threats ahead.
Euronews listened to it all to bring you the seven quotes that need to be remembered from the annual three-day gathering.
‘A bold new approach’: Ursula von der Leyen
“I can announce that I will propose to activate the escape clause for defence investments. This will allow member states to substantially increase their defence expenditure,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.
Context: EU member states need to invest €500 billion in defence over the coming decade and leaders are struggling to agree on common instruments.
The fiscal rule relaxation was already tipped as a potential solution earlier this month by EU leaders following an informal retreat on defence. It would enable member states with little fiscal wriggle room to boost defence spending without falling foul of EU rules and becoming the target of an Excessive Deficit Procedure that can lead to fines.
Eight member states are currently targeted by such a procedure.
Von der Leyen told the conference the measure would be part of a “bold new approach”, because “when it comes to European security, Europe has to do more. Europe must bring more to the table”.
Europe retreating from its fundamental values: JD Vance
“The threat that I worry the most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor. And what I worry about is the threat from within: the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America,” the US Vice-President said on Friday.
Context: Europe was hoping Vance would provide some clarity on the US administration’s strategy for peace talks with Russia, following comments earlier in the week by Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth.
A statement from the US President implied Europe, and Ukraine, could be excluded from negotiations with Russia, while the Defence Secretary said that it is “unrealistic” for Ukraine to believe it will become a member of Ukraine or that it would return to its pre-2014 borders.
But Vance made just a passing reference to Ukraine and instead dedicated his 10-minute keynote speech to excoriating Europe for allegedly backsliding on democratic values and not listening to its voters.
NATO membership not off the table for Ukraine: Rutte
“This is not about the peace deal. Some think it has to be part of a peace deal, but it’s not part of the outcome. We have to take it step by step, have to make sure the deal ensures Putin will not try again,” Mark Rutte, NATO’s Secretary General, told reporters on Friday.
Context: Hegseth’s statement at the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels earlier in the week appeared to imply that Ukraine might be forced to give up on its aspiration to join the military alliance as part of peace negotiations with Russia to end the war.
This is despite the fact allies said last year following a summit in Washington that Ukraine was on an “irreversible path” to membership.
ADVERTISEMENTRutte, however, refuted that NATO membership would be linked to peace talks.
Let’s create the ‘armed forces of Europe’: Zelenskyy
“We must build the Armed Forces of Europe so that Europe’s future depends only on Europeans and decisions about Europe are made in Europe,” Zelenskyy said in a combative speech on Saturday.
Context: Trump’s announcement he had held a lengthy phone call with Vladimir Putin without consulting Ukraine first, Washington’s repeated calls that Europe takes more responsibility for its own security and its foreign policy shift towards the Indo-Pacific coupled with warnings from intelligence agencies that Russia could have the means to attack a European NATO ally by 2030 is accelerating discussions about European own deterrence and capabilities.
“Let’s be clear, we cannot rule out the possibility that America may refuse to cooperate with Europe on issues that threaten it,” Zelenskyy said, adding that “Ukraine will never accept deals behind our backs without our involvement, and the same rule should apply to all of Europe.”
ADVERTISEMENTI will restore Germany’s EU leadership: Merz
”I’m hearing from the one-on-ones and the meetings here at the conference that there is a lack of German leadership within the European Union, and I fully agree with those who are demanding leadership from Germany, and frankly I’m willing to do that because I’m seeing that Germany is in a strategic position at the centre of Europe; that so many things in Europe depends on Germany,” Friedrich Merz told a panel discussion on Saturday.
Context: The leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is widely tipped to be the next German Chancellor following elections to be held on February 23.
The country’s election was pulled forward following the collapse of Olaf Scholz’s three party coalition that had been characterised by bitter infighting over a number of policy areas.
The quarrelling, coupled with Germany’s economic woes, had weakened Berlin’s voice at the European level.
ADVERTISEMENTUS-Ukraine rare earths’ deal ‘nightmare’ for Putin: Graham
“If this minerals agreement happens, it’s a nightmare for Putin cause we have something to defend that we didn’t have before. So you better be pulling for this mineral agreement,” US Senator Lindsey Graham said during a panel on Saturday.
Context: In an interview earlier this week, Trump appeared to suggest continued US military support for Ukraine could be conditional on a $500 billion deal over critical raw materials which are used in a wide array of everyday and high-tech appliances, including military equipment.
China controls significant shares of the global mining and processing of a number of these materials including lithium, gallium and germanium.
“I told President Trump, it may be the old Soviet Union, maybe the Russian empire, but I do know he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is going after the money. Don’t let him steal what Ukraine has to enrich itself,” Graham said
ADVERTISEMENTHe added that with the deal “President Trump can go to the American people and say that Ukraine is not a burden, it’s a benefit. They’re sitting on top of trillions of dollars worth of minerals that all of us can benefit from by aligning with the West.”
Europe likely won’t be at the peace talks: Kellogg
“You can have the Ukrainians, the Russians, and clearly the Americans at the table talking,” Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy on Ukraine and Russia said Saturday.
Context: European leaders and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy have for months said that any peace talks with Russia would have to involve them as any deal would impact the security of the whole continent.
But Trump’s call with Putin suggested both sides might be excluded, sparking a diplomatic flurry over the past week between European capitals and Kyiv.
ADVERTISEMENTPressed on Europe’s participation, Kellogg said: “I’m a school of realism. I think that’s not going to happen”. He added that the “European alliance” would however “be critical” to ensure Ukrainian sovereignty.
