German chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived at the Munich Security Conference as the annual gathering opened with stark warnings about global instability. Held at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, the conference brings together dozens of world leaders to debate the future of EU-US relations, Ukraine and the wider security order. Organisers described the post-1945 international system as "under destruction", reflecting growing concern across Europe about shifting geopolitical dynamics.
NATO secretary general Mark Rutte said he expects US secretary of state Marco Rubio to press European allies to take a stronger leadership role within the alliance. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who is attending side events before delivering a speech on Saturday, welcomed the launch of a joint Ukrainian-German drone production line, highlighting Kyiv's focus on defence cooperation.
The summit also features speeches by French president Emmanuel Macron and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, as well as discussions on Greenland, Iran and Middle East tensions. With transatlantic ties under scrutiny and defence spending rising across Europe, this year's conference is widely seen as a test of unity within the western alliance...