Editing Munich Security Conference (section)

==Conferences==
[[File:Hotel Bayerischer Hof München-Außenansicht-Südseite-Blick nach Osten.JPG|thumb|[[Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich|Hotel Bayerischer Hof]]]]

===2003===
At the 39th conference in 2003, [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany)|German Minister for Foreign Affairs]] [[Joschka Fischer]] doubted the reasoning of the [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. government]] for a [[Iraq War|war against Iraq]] with the words "Excuse me, I am not convinced".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kate Connolly |date=10 February 2003 |title=I am not convinced, Fischer tells Rumsfeld |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/1421634/I-am-not-convinced-Fischer-tells-Rumsfeld.html |access-date=22 November 2014 |publisher=The Telegraph}}</ref>

===2007===
See [[2007 Munich speech of Vladimir Putin]].

===2009===
From 6–8 February 2009, the 45th Munich Security Conference<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schmitz |first=Gregor Peter |date=6 February 2009 |title=Obama Sends Vice President to Build Bridges |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,605949,00.html |access-date=12 December 2012 |work=Der Spiegel |publisher=Spiegel.de}}</ref> was attended by over 50 ministers and more than a dozen heads of state and government from all over the world, including [[Vice President of the United States|US Vice President]] [[Joe Biden]], [[French President]] [[Nicolas Sarkozy]], [[German Chancellor]] [[Angela Merkel]], [[Polish Prime Minister]] [[Donald Tusk]] and [[Afghan President]] [[Hamid Karzai]].

In 2009 the MSC inaugurated the Ewald von Kleist Award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ewald-von-Kleist-Award: MSC |url=http://www.securityconference.de/Ewald-von-Kleist-Award.346+M52087573ab0.0.html |access-date=12 December 2012 |publisher=Securityconference.de}}</ref> The new award highlights the political life and work of [[Ewald-Heinrich von Kleist-Schmenzin|Ewald von Kleist]], who founded the Munich Security Conference. The award will be given to prominent individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to peace and conflict resolution. The winners of the Ewald von Kleist Award were in 2009 Dr [[Henry Kissinger]] and in 2010 [[Javier Solana de Madariaga]]. Also in 2009, the MSC initiated a new event format, called MSC Core Group Meeting.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 November 2011 |title=MSC Core Group Meeting: MSC |url=http://www.securityconference.de/MSC-Core-Group-Meeting.253+M52087573ab0.0.html |access-date=12 December 2012 |publisher=Securityconference.de}}</ref> This new and smaller-scale event was introduced in addition to the annual main, Munich-based meeting of the Munich Security Conference. The idea is to invite a number of distinguished and high-ranking participants to changing capitals and give them the opportunity to confidentially discuss current international security policy issues and develop sustainable solutions. Meetings took place 2009 in [[Washington D.C.]], 2010 in [[Moscow]] and 2011 in [[Beijing]].

===2011===
The 47th Munich Security Conference<ref>{{Cite web |title=Egypt, terrorism lead discussion at Munich Security Conference |url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14819779,00.html |access-date=12 December 2012 |publisher=Dw-world.de}}</ref> was held from 4 to 6 February 2011 and again assembled top-level decision makers from all over the world, including [[UN Secretary-General]] [[Ban Ki-moon]], [[German Chancellor]] [[Angela Merkel]], [[British Prime Minister]] [[David Cameron]] [[U.S. Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] and Russian Foreign Minister [[Sergey Lavrov]] whilst [[Belarus]] was excluded from the circle of attendees because of the country's human rights situation.

In 2011, two special features marked the growing role of the Munich Security Conference as a centre of attention of international security policy: [[European Union]]'s High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy [[Catherine Ashton]] called for the Quartet on the [[Middle East]], consisting of the [[European Union|EU]], Russia, the United States and the [[UN]], to meet within the setting of the 2011 Munich Security Conference; and during a ceremony on the sidelines of the conference, the [[New START|New START Treaty]] (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) entered into force when Russia's [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|Foreign Minister]] [[Sergey Lavrov]] and [[U.S. Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] exchanged the instruments of ratification.

===2012===
{{Multiple image
| total_width = 250px
| direction   = vertical
| image1      = Msc2012 20120204 566 Clinton Hillary-Yanukovych Viktor Frank Plitt.jpg
| caption1    = Ukrainian President [[Viktor Yanukovych]] meeting [[Hillary Clinton]] at the 48th Munich Security Conference in 2012
| image2      = Msc2012 20120204 001 Monti Ackermann Zoellick Steinbrueck Soros SZwez.jpg
| caption2    = From left to right: [[Mario Monti]], [[Josef Ackermann]], [[Robert B. Zoellick]], [[Peer Steinbrück]], [[George Soros]]
}}

The 48th Munich Security Conference was held from 2 to 5 February 2012.

===2013===
{{Main|49th Munich Security Conference}}

The 49th Munich Security Conference was held from 1 to 3 February 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 February 2013 |title=1-3 February: The World looks towards Munich at Munich Security Conference 2013 |url=http://eeas.europa.eu/top_stories/2013/010213_msc_en.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625112833/http://eeas.europa.eu/top_stories/2013/010213_msc_en.htm |archive-date=25 June 2016 |access-date=18 May 2020 |publisher=European Union External Action}}</ref> The conference focused on the [[European debt crisis]], [[transatlantic relations]], the crisis regions of [[Mali]] and the [[Middle East]], as well as [[energy security]] and [[cyber terrorism]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 February 2013 |title=Hintergrund: Themen und Teilnehmer der 49. Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz |url=http://www.zeit.de/news/2013-02/01/international-hntergrund-themen-und-teilnehmer-der-49-muenchner-sicherheitskonferenz-01085612 |access-date=18 May 2020 |publisher=ZEIT ONLINE |language=de}}</ref>

===2014===
{{Main|50th Munich Security Conference}}

The 50th Munich Security Conference was held from 31 January to 2 February 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 January 2014 |title=Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja to attend the Munich Security Conference |url=http://www.finemb.org.uk/public/default.aspx?contentid=297828&nodeid=35866&contentlan=2&culture=en-GB |access-date=13 January 2015 |publisher=Embassy of Finland, London}}</ref> The conference focused on [[Euromaidan]], new security risks, loss of importance for Europe, the [[NSA spying scandal|NSA spying affair]] and political normalization in former Yugoslavia, as well as the Middle east, and [[Iran's nuclear program]].

===2015===
{{Main|51st Munich Security Conference}}

The 51st Munich Security Conference was held from 6 to 8 February 2015. Among the more than 400 international participants<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tang Zhiqiang, He Mengshu |date=9 February 2015 |title=Spotlight: Munich meeting ends with Europe-U.S. clash over Ukraine |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/europe/europe/2015-02/09/c_133980469.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212010530/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/europe/europe/2015-02/09/c_133980469.htm |archive-date=12 February 2015 |access-date=6 July 2015 |publisher=Xinhua}}</ref> from nearly 80 countries were also 20 heads of state, 70 foreign and defense ministers<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dietmar Neuerer |date=6 February 2015 |title=Düstere Aussichten für die Weltkrisenlöser |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/muenchner-sicherheitskonferenz-duestere-aussichten-fuer-die-weltkrisenloeser/11337712.html |access-date=6 July 2015 |publisher=Handelsblatt |language=de}}</ref> and 30 CEOs of large companies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Christoph Herwartz |date=6 February 2015 |title=Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz: Wie nutzt Merkel ihre große Bühne? |url=http://www.n-tv.de/politik/Wie-nutzt-Merkel-ihre-grosse-Buehne-article14461496.html |access-date=6 July 2015 |publisher=n-tv |language=de}}</ref> The conferences focused on the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]], nuclear negotiations with Iran and the [[war on terror]] as well as the global refugees crisis.

===2016===
{{Main|52nd Munich Security Conference}}

The 52nd Munich Security Conference took place from 12 to 14 February 2016. 600 international guests attended the event, including 30 heads of state, 70 foreign and defense ministers, directors of various [[Intelligence agency|intelligence agencies]] and 700 journalists from 48 countries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matthias von Hein |date=11 February 2016 |title=Die Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz in Zahlen |url=http://www.dw.com/de/die-m=25C3=25BCnchner-sicherheitskonferenz-in-zahlen/a-19037001 |access-date=9 November 2016 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |language=de}}</ref>
The conferences focused on the conflict between NATO and the Russian Federation, Syria and the fight against [[Islamic State|ISIS]], the situation in the Middle East, the future of NATO, the [[North Korean nuclear program]], intelligence services, the 2016 Ewald von Kleist Award, the situation in Africa as well as the ongoing refugee crisis.

===2017===
{{Main|53rd Munich Security Conference}}
[[File:170217-D-GO396-0271 (32143198643).jpg|thumb|[[53rd Munich Security Conference]] 2017]]

The 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC 2017) took place from 17 to 19 February 2017 at [[Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich|Hotel Bayerischer Hof]] in Munich. With a total of 680 participants,<ref name="siko">{{Cite web |last=Martin Bernstein |date=17 February 2017 |title=Was bei der Siko auf die Polizei zukommt |url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/muenchner-sicherheitskonferenz-was-bei-der-siko-auf-die-polizei-zukommt-1.3383641 |access-date=24 January 2018 |publisher=Süddeutsche Zeitung |language=de}}</ref> including 30 heads of state and government, nearly 60 representatives of international organizations and 65 top business leaders,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Matthias von Hein |date=17 February 2017 |title=Acht Fakten zur Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz |url=http://www.dw.com/de/acht-fakten-zur-m%C3%BCnchner-sicherheitskonferenz/a-37563343 |access-date=24 January 2018 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |language=de}}</ref> it was the largest conference to date.<ref name="siko" /> Prominent guests and speakers were [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|UN Secretary General]] [[António Guterres]], U.S. Vice President [[Mike Pence]], [[United States Secretary of Defense|US Secretary of Defense]] [[James Mattis]], Russian Foreign Minister [[Sergey Lavrov]], [[Federica Mogherini]], [[Donald Tusk]] and Chinese Foreign Minister [[Wang Yi (politician)|Wang Yi]]. 700 journalists were also accredited for the event. In addition to the main events of the security conference, there were 1,350 bilateral meetings among MSC participants and delegations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paul Kreiner, Christopher Ziedler |date=19 February 2017 |title=Viel Lob für die amerikanische Delegation |url=http://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.sicherheitskonferenz-in-muenchen-amerika-ohne-telefonnummer-page1.4c12bc10-6786-4c32-bfaf-13b1ff273a74.html |access-date=24 January 2018 |publisher=Stuttgarter Zeitung |language=de}}</ref> The conferences focused on the future of the EU, NATO and the West, China's foreign policy, global health risks, the fight against terrorism, the Middle East and Iran as well as the US foreign policy towards Russia.

===2018===
{{Main|54th Munich Security Conference}}

The 54th Munich Security Conference (MSC 2018) took place from 16 to 18 February 2018 at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich.

===2019===
{{Main|55th Munich Security Conference}}

The 55th Munich Security Conference (MSC 2019) took place from 15 to 17 February 2019 at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. Among the 600<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 February 2019 |title=US-Vizepräsident Pence kommt zur Sicherheitskonferenz |url=https://www.welt.de/regionales/bayern/article187934123/US-Vizepraesident-Pence-kommt-zur-Sicherheitskonferenz.html |access-date=2 February 2020 |publisher=Welt |language=de}}</ref> participants were heads of state and government from more than 35 countries, 50 foreign and 30 defence ministers, other representatives from the fields of politics, the military, the arms industry, business and science, as well as members of international intergovernmental and civil society organizations.<ref name="civil">{{Cite web |date=7 February 2019 |title=Macron verzichtet auf Treffen mit Merkel |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/macron-sicherheitskonferenz-absage-101.html |access-date=2 February 2020 |website=tagesschau.de |language=de}}</ref>

===2020===
[[File:NTI Side Event MSC 2020 Nancy Pelosi.jpg|thumb|Nancy Pelosi speaking at a side event hosted by the Nuclear Threat Initiative at the [[56th Munich Security Conference]]]]

The 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC 2020) took place from 14 to 16 February 2020 at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. Among the more than 500<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ruairi Casey |date=14 February 2020 |title=What to expect from the Munich Security Conference? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/2/14/what-to-expect-from-the-munich-security-conference |access-date=17 October 2020}}</ref> participants were heads of state and government from 35 countries. Joe Biden, later the 46th President of the United States, committed himself to a new tone from Washington on the political world stage and regarding multilateralism. He promised: "We will be back."

===2021===
[[File:MSC 2021 SE 01 Biden Merkel Macron.jpg|thumb|260x260px|[[Joe Biden]], [[Angela Merkel]] and [[Emmanuel Macron]] just before delivering their remarks at the [[Munich Special Edition 2021]]]]

The 57th Munich Security Conference ("Munich Special Edition 2021") took place on 19 February in the form of a virtual online conference, without in-person attendance, due to the ongoing [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The event was addressed by British PM [[Boris Johnson]], German Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], French President [[Emmanuel Macron]] and US President [[Joe Biden]], who declared that "America is back".

===2022===
The 58th MSC took place from 18 to 20 February 2022. The motto was "''Turning the Tide – Unlearning Helplessness''". It was attended by over 30 Heads of State, 100 ministers and the heads of many of the most important international organizations like [[NATO]], the [[European Union|EU]] and the [[United Nations|UN]]. This conference was held on a smaller scale than usual due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zeitung |first=Süddeutsche |date=26 October 2021 |title=München: Sicherheitskonferenz 2022 wieder als Präsenzveranstaltung |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/muenchen/muenchen-sicherheitskonferenz-praesenz-corona-1.5449871 |access-date=20 February 2022 |website=Süddeutsche.de |language=de}}</ref> and was largely dominated by talks about the [[Prelude to the Russian invasion of Ukraine|escalation in the Russo-Ukrainian war]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Marsh |first1=Sarah |last2=Siebold |first2=Sabine |date=18 February 2022 |title=Ukraine crisis takes centre stage at Munich Security Conference |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-crisis-takes-centre-stage-munich-security-conference-2022-02-18/ |access-date=20 February 2022 |work=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=7 February 2022 |title=Information about the Munich Security Conference 2022, February 18–20 |url=https://securityconference.org/en/news/full/information-about-the-munich-security-conference-2022-february-18-20/ |access-date=20 February 2022}}</ref> [[António Guterres|UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres]] notably said that the world was in a more precarious security situation than during the [[Cold War]]. U.S. Vice President [[Kamala Harris]] also said that the US was ready to hit Moscow with tough sanctions in the event of an attack. Russia was not present at the conference,<ref name="dwmsc22">{{Cite web |title=Munich Security Conference opens — without Russia |url=https://www.dw.com/en/munich-security-conference-opens-without-russia/a-60827995 |access-date=20 February 2022 |website=[[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref> while Ukrainian President [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] warned Western nations that they should abandon their policy of appeasement toward Moscow,<ref name="f24msc">{{Cite news |date=19 February 2022 |title=Ukraine is 'longing for peace' says Zelensky at Munich Security Conference |url=https://www.france24.com/en/video/20220219-ukraine-is-longing-for-peace-says-zelensky-at-munich-security-conference |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219152150/https://www.france24.com/en/video/20220219-ukraine-is-longing-for-peace-says-zelensky-at-munich-security-conference |archive-date=19 February 2022 |access-date=19 February 2022 |work=France 24 |publisher=France 24 |agency=France 24}}</ref> and foreshadowed the Russian onslaught which was to occur only five days later: "To really help Ukraine, it is not necessary to constantly talk only about the dates of the probable invasion... Ukraine has been granted security assurances (with the 1994 [[Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances]]) in exchange for giving up the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal. We don't have any firearms. And there's no security."<ref name="kyzfs">{{Cite news |date=19 February 2022 |title=Zelensky's full speech at Munich Security Conference |url=https://kyivindependent.com/national/zelenskys-full-speech-at-munich-security-conference |publisher=KYIV INDEPENDENT}}</ref>

===2023===
{{Main|59th Munich Security Conference}}
[[File:Foreign Minister Antony Blinken at the 59th MSC, Munich, 2023-02-18.jpg|alt=Foreign Minister Antony Blinken at the 59th MSC|thumb|[[Antony Blinken]] (Secretary of State, United States of America) attending the Panel Discussion "Whole, Free, and at Peace: Visions for Ukraine" on the Main Stage of the [[59th Munich Security Conference]] in 2023]]

The 59th MSC took place from 17 to 19 February 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Searching for a Common Vision |url=https://securityconference.org/en/publications/munich-security-brief/searching-for-a-common-vision/ |access-date=27 March 2023 |website=securityconference.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> The overarching the motto "Re:Vision," which is also the title of the Munich Security Conference report that has been published in preparation for the conference.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Re:vision – Munich Security Report 2023 |url=https://securityconference.org/en/publications/munich-security-report-2023/ |access-date=27 March 2023 |website=securityconference.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> On the one hand, the debates focused on the increased efforts of autocratic states to revise the international order. On the other hand, the conference called for new common visions for the international order and possible cooperation despite geopolitical challenges. Representatives from all over the world participated,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Participants of the Munich Security Conference 2023 |url=https://securityconference.org/en/msc-2023/participants/ |access-date=27 March 2023 |website=securityconference.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> among them: [[Kamala Harris]], [[Antony Blinken]], [[Rishi Sunak]], [[Emmanuel Macron]], [[Olaf Scholz]], [[Annalena Baerbock]], [[Boris Pistorius]], [[Ursula von der Leyen]], [[Jens Stoltenberg]], [[Wang Yi (politician)|Wang Yi]], [[Andrzej Duda]], [[Francia Márquez]], [[Kaja Kallas]], [[Nana Akufo-Addo]] and [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy|Volodymyr Zelensky]] (virtually). 

[[File:Vice President Kamala D. Harris at the 59th MSC, Munich, 2023-02-18.jpg|thumb|[[Kamala Harris|Kamala D. Harris]] (Vice President, United States of America) giving her speech at the Conversation "The US in the World" on the Main Stage of the [[59th Munich Security Conference]] in 2023]]

[[File:George Soros.jpg|thumb|The image represents [[George Soros]], the Chairman of [[Soros Fund Management]], speaking at the 48th Munich Security Conference in 2012, highlighting his involvement in global security discussions and his views on international finance and politics.]]

The [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] and its impact was at the center of most discussions in Munich. In addition, a wide range of security policy issues were discussed. A major concern of the new MSC chairman, [[Christoph Heusgen]], was to include the so-called [[Global South]] more into the conference in order to discuss and enable global visions. The first panel discussion on Saturday morning was dedicated to this topic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Defending the UN Charter and the Rules-Based International Order - Munich Security Conference |url=https://securityconference.org/en/msc-2023/agenda/event/defending-the-un-charter-and-the-rules-based-international-order/ |access-date=27 March 2023 |website=securityconference.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> Other cross-cutting issues were climate change, food insecurity and energy security, as well as regional and country-specific topics, including Iran, the Horn of Africa and Russia.

Notably, at the 2023 Munich Security Conference, billionaire investor [[George Soros]] commented that the financial troubles of the [[Adani Group]] could weaken Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]]’s hold on India’s government, potentially paving the way for institutional reforms. This statement provoked a strong response from India’s [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]], which accused Soros of attempting to undermine India's democracy.<ref>By Reuters, "India's BJP slams Soros for saying Adani's troubles will weaken Modi," Reuters, 17 February 2023, accessed 4 October 2024, https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-bjp-slams-soros-saying-adanis-troubles-will-weaken-modi-2023-02-17/.</ref>

===2024===
{{Main|60th Munich Security Conference}}
[[File:Radosław Sikorski wziął udział w 60. Monachijskiej Konferencji Bezpieczeństwa (2).jpg|thumb|Polish Foreign Minister [[Radosław Sikorski]] with Chinese Foreign Minister [[Wang Yi (politician)|Wang Yi]] at the 60th Munich Security Conference in 2024]]

The 60th Munich Security Conference took place from 16 to 18 February 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 February 2024 |title=Eurovision Services: Munich Security Conference 2024 |url=https://www.eurovision.net/events/news/no-category/53700/details |access-date=20 January 2024 |website=www.eurovision.net |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=13 December 2023 |title=Munich Security Conference |url=https://www.womenpoliticalleaders.org/event/munich-security-conference/ |access-date=20 January 2024 |website=Women Political Leaders |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MSC 2024 - Munich Security Conference |url=https://securityconference.org/en/msc-2024/ |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=securityconference.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> The motto “Lose-Lose?”,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 'Munich Spirit': What to expect from this year's security conferences |url=https://therecord.media/munich-security-and-cybersecurity-conference-2024-what-to-expect |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=therecord.media}}</ref> title of the according Munich Security Report,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Munich Security Report 2024 |url=https://securityconference.org/en/publications/munich-security-report-2024/ |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=securityconference.org |language=en-GB}}</ref> also referred as central theme to the conference: The need to reshape the global order for the benefit of all as an inclusive alternative to the growing “lose-lose” dynamics of [[isolationism]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Lupel |first1=Adam |last2=Russo |first2=Jenna |date=5 March 2024 |title=Global Order on the Line: War, Law, and Humanity at the Munich Security Conference |url=https://theglobalobservatory.org/2024/03/global-order-on-the-line-war-law-and-humanity-at-the-munich-security-conference/ |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=IPI Global Observatory |language=en-US}}</ref> Judging by the debate in Munich, implementing reform proposals requires more political will.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Baker |first=Peter |date=15 February 2024 |title=In Munich, Harris Aims to Reassure European Allies as Trump Disparages NATO |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/15/us/politics/kamala-harris-munich.html |access-date=20 May 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Almost 1,000 participants from 109 countries included 45 heads of state and government. At the 60 main events, more than half of the speakers were female and over a quarter represented countries of the [[Global North and Global South|Global South]]. Over 200 side events were hosted by public and private organizations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Munich Security Report 2024 |url=https://securityconference.org/en/publications/munich-security-report-2024/ |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=securityconference.org |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Israeli President [[Isaac Herzog]] and Foreign Minister [[Israel Katz]] attended the Munich Conference in the midst of the ongoing [[Gaza war]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Israel-Hamas war looms large at Munich Security Conference 2024 |url=https://jewishinsider.com/2024/02/munich-security-forum-2024-herzog-harris-livni-blinken/ |work=Jewish Insider |date=16 February 2024}}</ref>

===2025===
{{Main|61st Munich Security Conference}}

The 61st Munich Security Conference took place from 14 to 16 February 2025.<ref name="DW2025">{{Cite web |date=14 February 2025 |title=MSC 2025: Vance speech aggravates Europeans |url=https://www.dw.com/en/msc-2025-vance-speech-aggravates-europeans/live-71599568 |website=[[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref> A series of U.S. statements at the conference sparked controversy and unrest among the attending European politicians.<ref name="BBC Gardner">{{cite news |last=Gardner |first=Frank |date=17 February 2025 |title=Five takeaways from the Munich Security Conference|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx242lw21jwo |access-date=22 February 2025}}</ref>

U.S. Vice President [[JD Vance]] criticised the organisers of the Munich Security Conference for having "banned lawmakers representing populist parties on both the left and the right from participating in these conversations" in a speech at the conference, adding that "we don’t have to agree with everything or anything that people say. But when political leaders represent an important constituency, it is incumbent upon us to at least participate in dialogue with them".<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 February 2025 |title=JD Vance's Munich security conference speech in full |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/02/14/jd-vance-munich-security-conference-speech-in-full/ |work=The Telegraph}}</ref> His remarks that free speech in Europe was "in retreat" faced pushback from some European officials,<ref name="DW2025" /> such as Chancellor [[Olaf Scholz]], Opposition Leader and likely next Chancellor [[Friedrich Merz]], Vice Chancellor [[Robert Habeck]],<ref name="wel25">{{Cite news |date=15 February 2025 |title='Kümmere dich um deinen eigenen Kram', pöbelt Habeck |trans-title='Take care of your own stuff', Habeck rebukes |url=https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article255442658/Reaktionen-auf-Vance-Rede-Kuemmere-dich-um-deinen-eigenen-Kram-poebelt-Habeck.html |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=Welt |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=15 February 2024 |title=Friedrich Merz fordert USA auf, Wahlergebnisse zu akzeptieren |trans-title=Friedrich Merz calls on the United States to accept election results |url=https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2025-02/einmischung-bundestagswahl-usa-friedrich-merz-muenchner-sicherheitskonferenz |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=Zeit Online |language=de |quote={{lang|de|Merz sagte weiter: 'Es sei nicht denkbar, dass die deutsche Bundesregierung bestimmte Medien von Pressekonferenzen ausschließen würde.' Die US-Regierung lässt die Nachrichtenagentur AP nicht mehr zu Konferenzen im Oval Office zu.}} ({{translation|Merz went on to say: 'It is inconceivable that the German federal government would exclude certain media from press conferences.' The US government no longer allows the AP news agency to conference in the Oval Office.}})}}</ref> and Minister for Foreign [[Annalena Baerbock]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 February 2025 |title=German foreign minister rejects Vance comments on far-right AfD |url=https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/german-foreign-minister-rejects-vance-comments-on-far-right-afd/ar-AA1z3zlx |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=MSN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=15 February 2025 |title=Baerbock weist Vance zurück und lobt 'wehrhafte Demokratie' in Europa |trans-title=Baerbock rejects Vance and praises 'defensive democracy' in Europe |url=https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2025-02/sicherheitskonferenz-muenchen-annalena-baerbock-jd-vance |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=MSN}}</ref> collectively representing three political parties. [[Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann]] of the centre-right [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] called Vance's speech a "bizarre intellectual bottom".<ref name="wel25" />

Key conclusions from the conference included the need for NATO’s European members to significantly increase their [[military budget|defense spending]] and take on the primary responsibility for military funding for Ukraine, rather than relying on the U.S. Additionally, the U.S. and Russia aim to negotiate a deal to end the [[Russo-Ukrainian War|war in Ukraine]].<ref name="BBC Gardner"/>