Name: 'All-time low' — What are the expectations for this year's Munich Security Conference? | DW News
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And we want to return now to our top story, the Munich Security Conference, which begins today amid tensions between the United States and Europe.

Our chief political correspondent, Michella Kufner, she is in Munich Force.

Michaela if we go back just a year ago, it was the US Vice President J.D.

vance who delivered a speech that kind of blew up transatlantic relations as we have known them.

Now we've got the US Secretary of State Marc Rubio speaking there today.

Is he going to put more fuel on the fire or has he come as the fireman?

Well, I can tell you as someone standing, you are here essentially at the waterhole of the Munich Security Conference inside the Bible.

So this is where everybody needs to go for coffee.

The talk here is nobody wants to look back, nobody wants to go back to that speech by J.D.

vance where he said there shouldn't be a firewall, where he was basically just days ahead of elections here in Germany, openly interfering, openly speaking out for the far right alternative for Germany and openly, basically telling the Europeans how they should conduct their own democracy.

First and foremost because it will be Marco Rubio speaking for the U.S. government.

He's the highest ranking official here and he will have the message that, yes, the old days are over.

I'm sure he's going to launch the odd attack on the Europeans to come up to the table.

But let's put it this way, this time nobody can be in shock because the expectations towards the United States have hit an all time low.

Are we expecting a reaction from European leaders, you know, to what Rubio says, positive or negative?

But let's not forget it will be the Europeans, it will be the German chancellor who holds the opening speech, who sets the scene.

watts did last time around and the scene setter will and we've had a briefing on this already.

Clearly a much more independent sounding European leader in the form of the German Chancellor.

The Europeans know they need to invest more in their own security, but

they also know they fully depend on, on the continuation of NATO's and of course the continuation of the Americans in NATO's.

They've also shown that they're looking elsewhere.

There's the macro saw trade agreement with Latin American states as a huge EU India trade deal that's just been sealed.

And they will listen also very closely to the Chinese foreign minister who will be speaking here straight after Marco Rubio on Saturday.

This is an opportunity for, for the Chinese to also forge new alliances as the Americans have become so independent.

Greenland, that was a turning point in how the Europeans see the Americans.

I mean, a year ago we weren't talking about Greenland at all.

Now we're talking about Greenland and we're talking about NATO security, whether or not it even survives Greenland.

if I'm not mistaken, it sounds like Denmark is wasting no time getting all of its cards on the table with respect to Greenland.

Some high level meetings taking place, right?

The Europeans are holding a high level meeting here together with the Danish Prime Minister, of course, demonstrating that that support she received over Greenland will continue.

Also that the commitment to dedicate more military resources into the defense of the Arctic, where Greenland has now become, of course, this hotspot for operations not just by the United States, that that will continue and that the Europeans will be doing their part so that there is no excuse for the United States, which can already legally basically post as many military personnel and equipment on that island if it wants to.

So there is also no excuse in the future to start questioning that again.

But also there's a new dynamic in how NATO is viewed and a recogn that talking, at least with the French and the Brits about the possibilities of bolstering their nuclear forces also as part, and

this is also being always being stressed as part of the nuclear defence within NATO is something that certainly the Europeans and the Germans in particular are also thinking about and talking about.

You know, the war in Ukraine, the invasion by Russia.

Now we're talking about fighting four years, maybe going on five years.

Ukrainian President Zelensky, he's expected to come to Munich for this conference.

We know that the German Foreign Minister earlier today made it clear that Germany stands with Ukraine.

So what can we expect coming out of this?

You know, this, this conference in Munich.

Is this going to be a chance for Germany to really continue to take the reins and pick up the slack, the perceived slack that's being created by the Americans when it comes to protecting Ukraine?

Well, Germany already is by default the largest supporter of Ukraine.

Now the Americans have withdrawn a lot of support.

They are more in the business of selling weapons rather than simply providing them, also when it comes to other assistance.

That's what I'm hearing here from people who are also near those talks.

The chemistry between the two foreign ministers from Ukraine and Germany, their allies.

German Foreign Minister Vadiful also joined Ukraine's foreign minister in opening an exhibition in Ukraine house just around the corner.

There's a big shahed drone there, also exhibited.

So he got a real sense of what that threat means.

And there is the political commitment to help Ukraine find that just peace that is at the center of the talks.

But I also want to mention that that dynamic we had in December where talks took place in Berlin, where the Europeans are at the table, that is somewhat evaporated.

And that's an uphill struggle for the European side to make sure that they are not just informed about talks, but

actually sitting at the table and part of the decisions on what can lead to.

To truce or towards at least a cease fire.

Yeah, it's amazing too how things have changed so quickly with Ukraine.

Two years ago we were talking about Germany dragging its feet to help Ukraine.

Now, as you just said, Germany leading the way in terms of security assistance.

Michaela Kuppner for us at the Munich Security Conference.

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'All-time low' — What are the expectations for this year's Munich Security Conference? | DW News

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