Cold War-Era Tensions Dominate Munich Security Conference
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The 58th Munich Security Conference, an annual event bringing together heads of state, military officials, and other parties, closed on February 19 after three days.
Despite its motto – ‘Peace Through Dialogue’ – two countries’ representatives were conspicuously missing. Both Russia and Iran were not invited due to ongoing conflicts. “I draw the line at war criminals,” one organizer reportedly said.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy set the tone of the meeting by urging states to “act rather than talk,” and send more weapons to his country.
US Vice President Kamala Harris used her speech to accuse Russia of “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine. “The perpetrators must be held to account,” she added. According to Harris, the US State Department has evidence of “widespread and systemic” rape, torture, execution-style killings, beatings, electrocution and deportation, including children by Russian forces.
Russia’s ambassador to the US accused the country of trying to “demonize Russia” in a later statement.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged European states to send more munitions to Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz specifically urged European states to send tanks to Ukraine and to increase defense expenditure to 2 percent of GDP, the NATO target.
Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat warned against a “Cold War mentality” and implied NATO states were unwilling to settle for peace.
Wang similarly criticized Western interference on Taiwan, a sovereign state Beijing claims is part of China.
Wang and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sat down on the last night in Munich. A later US State Department statement said Blinken had assured Wang that Washington was not seeking conflict with China but warned against providing any material support to Russia or helping it evade Western sanctions.
A long-anticipated subject – the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO – seemingly went undiscussed and unresolved at the meeting. Turkey is still holding out on accepting the Nordic bids over alleged “terrorists” Sweden is harbouring. After a deadly earthquake on February 6, Ankara has shifted its focus on disaster relief.
Yet Blinken will be heading to Turkey straight after the conference. The two sides are likely to discuss – though less likely to settle – the issue then.