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Munich Security Conference 2025 opens with focus on Ukraine peace prospects

The 61st MSC brings together over 60 world leaders and 100 ministers in Germany to discuss global security challenges.

14/02/2025

2 minute read

munich security conference 2025 opens focus ukraine peace prospects left right secretary state marco rubio ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy vice jd vance collage suspilne 61st (msc) 14 bringing together over

From left to right: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and US Vice President J.D. Vance. Collage by Suspilne.

Munich Security Conference 2025 opens with focus on Ukraine peace prospects

The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) opens on 14 February 2025, bringing together over 60 heads of state and more than 100 ministers for three days of security talks in Germany.

US President Trump’s initiative to end the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war has faced several delays since Trump’s initial promise to end the three-year all-out Russo-Ukrainian war within 24 hours of his 20 January inauguration. Gen Kellogg received a 100-day mandate to broker peace after his appointment, with further potential delays expected.

According to the event’s agenda, conference chairman Christoph Heusgen will open the event, followed by an opening speech from German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The conference agenda includes main program events, approximately 200 side events, and dozens of public sessions.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed earlier that while the conference will address multiple international security issues, the Russian war against Ukraine remains the central topic. US Vice President JD Vance will lead the US delegation, as President Donald Trump will not attend. Vance is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for bilateral talks.

According to conference chairman Heusgen, the event may yield preliminary outlines of a US future peace plan for Ukraine. He noted that the conference organizers hope Munich will be used for achieving progress toward peace in Ukraine, and negotiations to take place behind the scenes.

US Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg will attend, but has clarified he won’t present a peace plan in Munich, explaining that such an agreement should come from Trump:

“The only guy that can do that in the world, and bring this to a conclusion, is Donald J. Trump,” he said.

However, he will discuss Trump’s vision for ending the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The conference agenda encompasses energy security, climate change, artificial intelligence, international trade, and European defense capabilities. The format includes no legally binding final communiqués or resolutions.

In Ukrainian public mind, Munich city is associated with signing the 1938 Munich agreement, better known as the Munich Betrayal where Western powers accepted Nazi Germany’s annexation of parts of then-Czechoslovakia, appeasing Hitler before he started the WWII. After multiple demands to Ukraine and basically no demands for Russia, announced by Trump and his team, many believe that the Munich Security Conference can become the Munich-2 for Ukraine.

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