What I heard in Munich: ‘We Europeans need a plan’

It was a stunning moment at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) this past weekend, when German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer entered the stage side by side to launch the “Global Europe” initiative. Designed for Europe to navigate with confidence and capabilities in an increasingly multipolar world, the initiative contained ground-breaking, action-oriented proposals along four pillars: innovation, energy security, military capabilities, and societal resilience. Gone was the mutual grouchiness of the Brexit years—the leaders of the so-called “E3” now appeared laser focused on bridging difficulties to build joint strength, thereby inspiring others to follow.

Did you miss it? Well, I am sorry to say that you cannot watch it afterwards on YouTube because, alas, it did not happen. But it should have. By now, Europe ought to have left reaction mode behind and taken some bold steps forward. Not individually, but together. It is not as if the Europeans have lacked time to prepare.

Read the full piece at The Atlantic Council.