Keep pulling the thread on Alexander Gabuev.
European leaders at the 2026 Munich Security Conference believe the transatlantic relationship has ruptured and moved beyond the point of returning to the pre-Trump 2.0 consensus.
In a German wargame simulation, the United States instructed the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO not to activate defense plans for the eastern flank or use kinetic measures against Russian forces in Lithuania.
A key lesson from a recent German wargame is that the most dangerous period for European security is the interval between a ceasefire in Ukraine and the point when Europe is sufficiently re-armed to deter Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that in ongoing peace talks, the U.S. is primarily pushing Ukraine, not Russia, to make concessions.
Under the Trump 2.0 administration, the U.S. has shifted its role from being the leader of the coalition supporting Ukraine to an intermediary in peace talks.
European countries have taken over the financial burden of supporting Ukraine, investing heavily in its defense industrial base and providing weapons.
European countries cannot replace U.S. support for Ukraine in critical areas such as vital intelligence and advanced air defense systems like the Patriot.
Five European countries have accused Russia of violating the Chemical Weapons Convention by killing opposition leader Alexei Navalny with a rare toxin derived from a poisonous frog.
At the 2025 Munich Security Conference, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance delivered a hostile speech attacking America's European allies over their policies on free speech and migration.
Discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos preceding the 2026 Munich Security Conference were dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of military action against Denmark over Greenland.
The dominant strategy among major European countries like Germany, France, and Italy is to avoid provoking the United States while quietly preparing for a Europe less dependent on America.
A minority of European countries, including Hungary, Slovakia, and the new Czech government, advocate for a policy of hedging between the United States, Russia, and China.