In 2026, the Ewald von Kleist Prize of the Munich Security Conference was awarded to the people of Ukraine, Oleksii Makeiev, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, announced. The prize recognizes contributions to international cooperation and conflict resolution.
The Munich Security Conference is an annual international security policy forum held in Munich, Germany, since 1963, bringing together key political leaders from around the world.
“Now it’s official: the Ewald von Kleist Prize has been awarded to the Ukrainian people,” Makeiev wrote on social media, expressing gratitude to the conference for its clear stance on Ukraine.
Russia pretends to negotiate but continues to terrorize
Makeiev praised the Munich Security Conference for its position, referencing a statement by its chairman.
“Russia, while pretending to be ready for negotiations, simultaneously terrorizes Ukrainian civilians," said Wolfgang Ischinger, president of the Munich Security Conference.
The Ewald von Kleist Prize is named after the conference’s founder, who established it in 1963 and served as its leader for 30 years.
Ukrainian House at the Munich Conference and the expected Zelenskyy delegation
Conference chair Wolfgang Ischinger provided an overview of this year’s event, saying he“undoubtedly hopes that the upcoming weekend will demonstrate that Ukraine deserves to be at the top of the agenda for many reasons," The Guardian reports.
He emphasized that Russia continues to attack people, describing this as Europe’s biggest security challenge in decades.
Ischinger also expressed hope that the conference would allow Europe to move from discussion to the adoption of “more reliable and meaningful foreign policy and security decisions.”
He added that for the first time, the Ukrainian House will be set up near the conference venue, hosting multiple events focused on Ukraine.
Ischinger indicated that, as in recent years, the Ukrainian delegation is expected to be led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Earlier, Ischinger announced that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will head a “large delegation” of American officials attending the Munich Security Conference, scheduled for 13–15 February.
