EuroQuestions | Munich Security Conference : What can Europeans expect? with Sylvie Matelly

Munich Security Conference 2026: An Increasingly Essential Meeting in a Rapidly Changing World

From 13 to 15 February 2026, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) will take place in Munich against a backdrop of profound international instability, marked by ongoing crises — the war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East, challenges in Africa and beyond — as well as by the erosion of traditional norms and commitments under international law.

The year 2026 marks the first anniversary of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, a comeback that has profoundly reshaped U.S. foreign policy and put transatlantic commitments on trade, security, and the global order to the test. In this new context, the Munich Conference appears more crucial than ever as a forum for debate on the future of transatlantic cooperation, European defence capabilities, and the resilience of multilateral and European frameworks in the face of the rising influence of alternative global powers.

With hundreds of international decision-makers expected to attend and a programme focused on security, the international order, and Europe’s capacity to act, this EuroQuestions event will seek to better understand the significance of this key meeting. We will be joined by Sylvie Matelly, Director of the Jacques Delors Institute, who will reflect on the main stakes of this edition: Europe’s place in a reshaping world order, and what can be expected from this essential diplomatic gathering.

In a deeply unstable international context, the Munich Security Conference appears all the more crucial as a forum for debate on the future of transatlantic cooperation, European defence capabilities, and the resilience of multilateral and European frameworks.