Delegates from around the world gathered for the three-day Munich Security Conference on Friday. The major focus of the event was to coordinate Western strategy on the Ukraine crisis.
In a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg discussed Europe’s “critical security situation” as a result of “Russia’s unprovoked military build-up in and around Ukraine” and the move’s implications for European and international security.
Stoltenberg shared his thoughts on Ukraine’s potential invasion by Moscow during his keynote address at a press conference. Stoltenberg said that while “there are signs from Moscow that diplomacy should continue,” which allows “grounds for cautious optimism,” there is still no “sign of de-escalation on the ground.”
He further noted that “Russia has amassed a fighting force in and around Ukraine, unprecedented since the Cold War. Everything is now in place for a new attack” and reminded Moscow that it “still has time to step back from the brink.” He thus called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to “stop preparing for war” and instead “start working for a peaceful solution.”
German @Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz used his first visit at @MunSecConf as Chancellor to call on "everyone, including the strong ones, to play by the rules." #UkraineRussiaCrisis #MSC2022 pic.twitter.com/rZXQfAGOVv
— Munich Security Conference (@MunSecConf) February 20, 2022
“We have systematically exposed Russia’s actions, plans and disinformation. At the same time, NATO Allies remain ready to engage with Russia…We are ready to discuss NATO-Russia relations, European security including the situation in and around Ukraine and risk reduction, transparency and arms control. But we will not compromise on our core principles,” the Secretary-General asserted.
Following his speech, NATO member countries’ ministers of defence participated in a security conference to further brainstorm their collective strategy. Summarising highlights of the meeting, Stoltenberg said that “an important first step towards a peaceful political solution” to the crisis would be for Russia to “withdraw its forces from the borders of Ukraine.”
He added that NATO allies are helping Ukraine defend itself by providing “trainers and military equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces, cyber and intelligence expertise, and with significant financial support.”
Apart from the Ukraine crisis, attendees also discussed pandemic strategies, combating climate change, and the advance of cryptocurrency.
The three-day meetings were attended by more than 100 ministers and over 30 heads of state. The guest list included United States Vice President Kamala Harris, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Patricia Espinosa. Notably, Russian representatives were absent from the conference.