According to German correspondent Derk Marseille, there was “difficult business” at the conference. “People needed everything from each other,” he says. “And then it’s about taking a strategic position in the world with respect to China, but far more important has been the equipment and the war in Ukraine, and how NATO partners want to cooperate with each other.”
While many relevant topics are discussed, the annual security conference is not a decision-making body, emphasizes defense specialist Peter Wijninga of the Center for Strategic Studies in The Hague. “The deals people make with each other aren’t immediately set in stone,” he says. Instead, Wijninga expects the informal conversations held at the conference to form the basis for formal conversations in the future. “In bilateral or multilateral talks. In that sense, you probably won’t be faced with any major surprises after such a conference.’
Invite yourself
According to Marseille, there was a lot to be said for the conference guest list. Where he had previously called Russia’s presence unthinkable, Iran was also absent in Munich. “Not even they were invited and the absence of the Chinese leader was not taken into consideration,” he continues. ‘It really doesn’t come to Europe just like that. Perhaps more was expected of the Foreign Minister».
Especially in the context of downed spy balloons. Marseilles: ‘From a military point of view, there is a lot to do between China and the United States. Of course, China also looks at how the West behaves in these kinds of conflicts. The Chinese continue to deny».
Marseille calls it a positive sign that the Chinese have sent a high-level delegation to Monaco. “We have also talked to NATO partners and will probably hear the result only in the next few days.”