'World's Largest Security Conference' MSC Opens... Discussing Solutions for Ukraine and Gaza Wars

The Munich Security Conference (MSC), the world's largest international conference on security, opened on the 16th (local time).

The MSC, starting with the opening address by Chairman Christoph Heusgen, will be held for three days until the 18th at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich, Germany. More than 50 heads of government and over 100 ministers from various countries gather here to discuss not only military security but also security in the fields of climate, food, health, and economy.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

This year marks the 60th conference. Traditionally, it discussed security cooperation across the Atlantic, but since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas in October last year, solutions to war have become a core topic.

Recently, former U.S. President Donald Trump made statements threatening the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance, prompting European countries to consider how to respond. In this regard, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and European Union (EU) Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will hold a joint press conference on the day.

The title of this year's Munich Security Report, which contains the agenda, is "Lose-Lose." The report analyzes, "As geopolitical tensions rise and economic uncertainty grows, many governments no longer focus on global cooperation and worry about gaining less than other countries," adding, "There is a real crisis where an increasing number of countries face losing situations."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Berlin, Germany, and Paris, France, on the day to sign security agreements respectively. On the 17th, he is scheduled to attend the Munich Security Conference to appeal for support.

The United States will be represented by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, while China will send Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Leaders from various countries, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, plan to express their views during discussions. The U.S. State Department announced that Secretary Blinken will meet separately with Minister Wang at the event. The South Korean government did not send a delegation this year.

Russia and Iran were not invited for the second consecutive year. Chairman Heusgen stated in an interview with German broadcaster ZDF, "We will be able to talk with the Russian delegation when Russia is ready to recognize the Ukrainian government."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.