EuroQuestions | Munich Security Conference: What can Europeans expect? with Sylvie Matelly
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Speakers
EuroQuestions : Season 2026, Episode 2
*This EuroQuestions will be in French
Date / Place: 11 February 2026, 2:30–3:00 p.m. (CET), online (registration required)
Title:
Munich Security Conference : What can Europeans expect?
Background:
This year’s Munich Security Conference (MSC) takes place against the backdrop of a deeply unstable international environment, marked by ongoing crises – including the war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East, challenges across Africa and beyond – and by the erosion of long-standing norms and commitments underpinning international law.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House has profoundly reshaped U.S. foreign policy, putting transatlantic security, trade, and global governance under renewed strain. In this context, the Munich Security Conference remains an essential forum for debating the future of the transatlantic relationship, strengthening European defence capabilities, reinforcing the resilience of the multilateral order, and defining how democracies should respond to the rise of new powers and the reshaping of the global order.
Questions to answer:
- Do recent U.S. threats regarding Greenland signal a lasting shift in the transatlantic relationship? What position are the United States likely to take in Munich, and how should Europeans prepare?
- Is Europe finally reaching a turning point in its defence policy? What concrete decisions or signals can be expected from the conference to strengthen European defence capabilities?
- Will Ukraine remain the Conference’s top priority, or could crises in the Middle East, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific redirect participants’ strategic attention?
Speaker(s):
Sylvie Matelly is the Director of the Jacques Delors Institute. From 2016 to 2023, she served as Deputy Director of the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS). She is an expert in geopolitics and economics, with particular expertise in defence industries and policies, export controls, and corruption.
What are EuroQuestions?
EuroQuestions are 30-minute online discussions held two to three times a month, bringing together a moderator (either Christine Verger or William Malaterre) and a guest speaker to discuss a pressing European issue. The guest speaker typically delivers a 15–20-minute presentation, followed by a 10-15-minute discussion with the moderator.
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