Munich Security Conference Declares Post–Cold War World Order Dead as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Warns of Europe’s Strategic Vacuum

At the 62nd Munich Security Conference German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that the post–World War II rules‑based international order 'no longer exists'.

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AnewZ

He warned that 'our freedom is not guaranteed' and urged Europeans to brace for a harsher era of great‑power rivalry by accepting sacrifices.

AnewZ

Merz called for strengthening defence capabilities and building a more self‑reliant European pillar within NATO while maintaining open trade ties.

He framed these points as urgent under the conference motto and repeatedly called for greater European strategic autonomy while stressing continued cooperation with the United States.

Merz’s remarks came amid repeated references to a widening transatlantic rift driven by recent U.S. policy gestures and political currents.

Several outlets reported he singled out clashes with U.S. political currents, referencing Vice‑President J.D. Vance and 'MAGA' culture‑war dynamics.

AnewZ

He also criticized U.S. tariffs and past proposals such as interest in Greenland, yet called for Washington to 'repair and revive' transatlantic trust and stressed that continued cooperation remains essential.

The conference featured admonitions from both European leaders and U.S. figures that the relationship must be re‑anchored even as Europe prepares for greater responsibility.

Merz disclosed confidential talks with Emmanuel Macron about a possible joint European nuclear deterrent, a subject several outlets reported without technical detail.

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BBC

Macron urged Europe to speed rearmament and become a geopolitical power.

Reports said the conference included high-level meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines and repeated calls to sustain pressure on Russia.

At the same time, commentators and defence officials urged sustained U.S. logistical and intelligence links even as Europe increases its own capabilities.

Coverage varies significantly in tone and implication: some outlets frame Merz’s speech as a sober call to remedy eroding norms and invest in deterrence (fakti.bg, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Moneycontrol).

Other outlets highlight the speech as evidence of an irreversible turn away from a U.S.-anchored order toward a European strategic reset (El País, politico.eu).

CNBC

Western-alternative and regional outlets (WION, AnewZ, KOHA.net) accentuate the need for a 'transatlantic reset' and warn that erratic U.S. messaging and domestic U.S. politics — including speeches by U.S. figures like Marco Rubio and JD Vance — are complicating reassurance.

Those differences reflect editorial priorities: some stress defence and deterrence steps, others the political-cultural sources of the rift.

Voices critical of Merz’s approach or offering alternative readings also appear.

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CNN

The Singju Post (Other) criticised what it called hawkish rhetoric and suggested Merz’s language treats Russia as an enemy to be exhausted militarily and economically.

CNN

Commentators and some regional outlets stressed that repairing transatlantic trust will require consistent U.S. policy signals on troops, deterrence and trade.

Meanwhile TRT World and conference coverage note the event’s scale — more than 1,000 participants and about 60 heads of state — and the urgency organisers attached to the gathering.

That scale and urgency underscore why leaders used the platform to air stark assessments and contingency plans.