All posts tagged: Munich Security Conference

Ukraine seeks 20-year US security guarantee before signing peace deal | World News

Ukraine seeks 20-year US security guarantee before signing peace deal | World News

Published by Parlour News

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy waves as he prepares to address the audience during a session at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) Ukraine is seeking a minimum 20-year security guarantee from the United States before agreeing to any peace deal with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the Munich Security Conference, according to The Guardian. Speaking ahead of trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the US scheduled for next week, Zelenskyy stressed that Kyiv needed “legally watertight” commitments to ensure long-term protection. He said the US had so far proposed a 15-year arrangement, but Ukraine wanted a longer, binding framework that clearly defines the support Washington would provide to a planned European reassurance force in the event of a settlement. Zelenskyy also urged European leaders to set a definitive date for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, noting that some EU officials have floated 2027 as a possible target. Addressing the annual Munich gathering, Zelenskyy voiced frustration that discussions about concessions appeared to focus disproportionately on Ukraine …

‘Slave to war’: Zelensky slams Putin in Munich days before Russia-Ukraine war enters fifth year

‘Slave to war’: Zelensky slams Putin in Munich days before Russia-Ukraine war enters fifth year

Published by Parlour News

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Russia’s Vladimir Putin as a “slave to war” in a speech to the Munich Security Conference Saturday, adding that Russia’s attacks had damaged every power plant in the country. Russia and Ukraine will hold US-brokered talks next week, and Zelensky said Kyiv was doing “everything” to end the war. (AFP File) Zelensky also drew parallels between the current talks between Russia and Ukraine over territorial concessions and the 1938 Munich Agreement, when Hitler forced territorial concessions from the European powers — a year before World War II. Zelensky was speaking days before the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s invasion, which has killed hundreds of thousands, decimated eastern Ukraine and forced millions to flee. Moscow’s attacks on the country’s power infrastructure have left millions in the cold. Kyiv and its Western allies have accused Moscow of deliberately freezing Ukraine’s population with the energy grid strikes. “There is not a single power plant left in Ukraine that has not been damaged by Russian attacks,” Zelensky said. “Not one.” “But we still generate electricity,” …

After critical remarks in Munich, Vance adopts more conciliatory tone toward Europe | World News

After critical remarks in Munich, Vance adopts more conciliatory tone toward Europe | World News

Published by Parlour News

US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday said Europe and the United States were “on the same team” but needed a better joint security posture, taking a more conciliatory tone after alarming allies with sharp remarks during a visit to Germany in February. During an event in Washington sponsored by the Munich Security Conference, Vance reiterated his and President Donald Trump’s belief that Europe needed to take on more responsibility related to defense. Vance said both sides of the Atlantic had become too comfortable with an outdated security system that was not adequate to meet the challenges of the next 20 years. The vice president has played an attack dog role repeatedly for Trump on foreign policy but stepped back from that approach in his remarks at the conference on Wednesday. “I do still very much think that the United States and Europe are on the same team,” he said, noting how European and American culture and civilizations were linked. Story continues below this ad “It’s completely ridiculous to think that you’re ever going to …

Explained: Europe and the new America | Explained News

Explained: Europe and the new America | Explained News

Published by Parlour News

The February 14 speech by United States Vice President J D Vance at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) stunned Europe and put the transatlantic partnership under unprecedented stress. But it also carried important lessons for Europe — and for the world. We had expected his speech to be disruptive, but we expected a different kind of disruption. We were expecting something along the lines of the US withdrawing troops from Europe or doing something similarly policy-based. The fact that he went for our common values took virtually everyone by surprise. Story continues below this ad But I keep telling people that if you judge a speech by whether it achieves its intended outcome, then this was a very good speech, because it freaked out the Europeans and it bolted them into action. You’ve seen a couple of emergency meetings since then, emergency legislation, and it has really, really, really achieved its intended purpose, to get Europeans to do more for their own security. The problem is whether it has destroyed some of the trust that …

Why JD Vance’s speech at Munich Security Conference drew criticism in Europe | Explained News

Why JD Vance’s speech at Munich Security Conference drew criticism in Europe | Explained News

Published by Parlour News

“That is not appropriate, especially not among friends and allies. We firmly reject that,” Scholz told the conference on Saturday (February 15). Several commentators have said Vance’s speech was indicative of a larger shift underway in the US-Europe relationship, as it spoke of a divergence in their “shared values”. Vance had said, “The threat that I worry most about for Europe is not Russia. It’s not China. It’s not any other external actor. What I worry about is the threat from within—the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values that are shared with the United States of America.” Story continues below this ad Here is what to know about the context of the speech and the significance of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), where it was delivered. What exactly did Vance say? The speech and its responses are a function of political developments in Europe and the US. Vance gave recent examples from Europe to argue that the continent is moving towards rejecting freedom and liberty — values seen as fundamental …

Call for Europe’s army is a sign of a continent in flux

Call for Europe’s army is a sign of a continent in flux

Published by Parlour News

Feb 16, 2025 08:30 PM IST An inward-looking US poses multiple questions to the idea of a united Europe and should prompt the continent’s leaders to forge a more independent path for their security and stability Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for raising an “armed forces of Europe” is an acknowledgment that the continent may no longer be the beneficiary of security guarantees provided by the United States (US) since the end of World War II (WWII), especially against the backdrop of emerging signals that President Donald Trump is intent on cutting a deal with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Zelensky was only reflecting a sentiment that recognises the storm gathering ahead, following comments by US vice president JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference that the old relationship between Europe and the US is “ending” and the region “needs to adjust to that”. Zelensky’s call for an “armed forces of Europe” is only a reflection of a sentiment that recognises the storm gathering ahead (AFP) There has been talk of a European army of …

Zelenskiy: Ukraine won’t accept deals reached behind our backs | World News

Zelenskiy: Ukraine won’t accept deals reached behind our backs | World News

Published by Parlour News

MUNICH – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday Ukraine would never accept any peace deals reached behind its back or without Kyiv’s involvement – an implicit message to U.S. President Donald Trump as he strives to end the war with Russia. Zelenskiy: Ukraine won’t accept deals reached behind our backs In a speech to the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskiy also called on Europe to create its own armed forces, urging the continent’s leaders to decide their own future and saying Ukraine’s armed forces alone were not enough for their security. “Ukraine will never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement. And the same rule should apply to all of Europe,” he said. Zelenskiy spoke after Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone this week, the first between U.S. and Russian leaders since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and said he and Putin expected to meet in the future, probably in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine has repeatedly said it wants to come together with the United States and …

Top Defence Expert To NDTV

Top Defence Expert To NDTV

Published by Webster

After Donald Trump announced his plans to initiate peace talks between  Russia and Ukraine following his phone calls with leaders of the respective countries, US Vice President JD Vance met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday and said Washington is targeting a “durable and lasting peace” in Ukraine. NDTV spoke to the defence editor of The Economist, Shashank Joshi, one of the closest observers of the ongoing war, to understand how the peace talks are likely to progress as well as their larger geopolitical ramifications.  To a question on where Russia stands on the deal, Mr Joshi replied, “So far, the good news for the Russians is that they have had a series of unilateral concessions upfront from the Americans – No NATO membership in Ukraine, no US support for European troops in Ukraine and no NATO Article 5 support for those troops.” Article 5 of US-led NATO provides that if an ally is the victim of an armed attack, every other member of the alliance will consider …

“Ready To Move Towards Real, Guaranteed Peace”: Zelensky After Meeting Vance

“Ready To Move Towards Real, Guaranteed Peace”: Zelensky After Meeting Vance

Published by Webster

Munich: US Vice President JD Vance pledged Friday that Washington sought to secure a “lasting” peace as he held a first meeting with Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss Donald Trump’s push for a deal with Moscow. The talks in Munich were seen as a key moment for Kyiv as it tries to keep Washington on its side after Trump stunned allies by announcing peace efforts with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “We want to achieve a durable, lasting peace, not the kind of peace that’s going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple years down the road,” Vance said as the meeting wrapped up. He said “good conversations” had been had with Zelensky about how they could reach that goal, and they would have more talks “in the days, weeks and months to come”. Zelensky also hailed a “good conversation”, saying the encounter with Vance was “our first meeting, not last, I’m sure”. “We are ready to move as quickly as possible towards a real and guaranteed peace,” Zelensky wrote later on X, …

Jaishankar, Blinken talk on progress in India-US strategic ties | World News

Published by Parlour News

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday discussed key bilateral issues as well as the situation in West Asia, Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific region with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said the “extraordinary partnership” between the two nations has grown “stronger and stronger” in recent years. Jaishankar and Blinken met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, in its 60th edition, where both are to participate in a panel discussion on ‘Growing the Pie: Seizing Shared Opportunities,’ on Saturday. The bilateral meeting took place weeks after the US agreed to supply 31 armed MQ-9B Predator drones to India and two months after the unease between the two sides over an alleged plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil. India has already constituted a high-level probe committee to investigate US allegations. “Great to meet my friend US @SecBlinken this afternoon on #MSC2024 sidelines. Our talk centered on the situation in West Asia, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific. Reviewed the continuing progress in our bilateral ties,” Jaishankar said on X and posted …