French President Merz and Macron to speak at Munich Security Conference

Leaders from over 60 countries will gather at the Munich Security Conference in southern Germany for the first day of the event. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron are scheduled to deliver addresses on Friday. The conference is taking place amid strained relations between Europe and the US, with high security measures in place.

More than 100 foreign and defence ministers will attend, along with heads of state and government from various countries. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper are among those who will address the conference.

The agenda for the conference includes discussions on Russia’s four-year war in Ukraine, as well as Iran’s nuclear programme and Israel’s conflict with Gaza. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak at the event on Saturday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will also attend and address the conference.

The conference comes as tensions between Europe and the US have increased in recent months. The US has been critical of European countries for not sharing enough of the burden on common defence, with US President Donald Trump frequently making public comments on the issue. This year’s conference is seen as a significant event, with diplomats describing it as having a “very different” atmosphere from previous years.

Security measures are in place at the conference, with around 5,000 police deployed to ensure safety. The event will take place in Bavaria, southern Germany.

Source: Al Jazeera