• Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg speaks during a Conversation session 'Learn Fast and Fix Things: Social Media and Democracy' at the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. EPA
    Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg speaks during a Conversation session 'Learn Fast and Fix Things: Social Media and Democracy' at the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. EPA
  • Mohammed Dschawad Sarif, Foreign Minister of Iran, speaks on the second day of the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. AP
    Mohammed Dschawad Sarif, Foreign Minister of Iran, speaks on the second day of the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. AP
  • Oman's Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah attends a panel discussion during the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
    Oman's Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah attends a panel discussion during the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
  • The Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud attends a panel discussion during the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
    The Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud attends a panel discussion during the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
  • Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
    Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
  • President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani takes part in a panel discussion during the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
    President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani takes part in a panel discussion during the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
  • German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer delivers a speech at the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. Getty Images
    German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer delivers a speech at the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. Getty Images
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addreses the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addreses the 56th Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, southern Germany. AFP
  • General view of the state dinner in the Munich royal residence during the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. Getty Images
    General view of the state dinner in the Munich royal residence during the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. Getty Images
  • Ursula von der Leyen (C), president of the European commission of attends (beside of Romanian prime minister Ludovic Orban, L and Bavasrian state governor Markus Soeder, R) the state dinner in the Munich royal residence during the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. Getty Images
    Ursula von der Leyen (C), president of the European commission of attends (beside of Romanian prime minister Ludovic Orban, L and Bavasrian state governor Markus Soeder, R) the state dinner in the Munich royal residence during the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. Getty Images
  • Demonstrators hold banners and wave flags at a protest against the annual security conference in Munich, Germany. REUTERS
    Demonstrators hold banners and wave flags at a protest against the annual security conference in Munich, Germany. REUTERS
  • Demonstrators hold a banner stating "No to war", at a protest against the annual security conference in Munich, Germany. REUTERS
    Demonstrators hold a banner stating "No to war", at a protest against the annual security conference in Munich, Germany. REUTERS

Europe

Munich Security Conference 2020: latest news as defence and foreign policy leaders meet in Germany

The 'Davos for world security' is under way with talks on US actions in the Middle East and coronavirus

The National

February 16, 2020

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Hot on the heels of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, attention has turned to international defence issues at the 56th Munich Security Conference in Germany. The summit in Munich began on February 14 and will hold its final day today, February 16.

The conference's focus is on a "westlessness", an idea that Western countries are uncertain of their values and their strategic orientation. Attendees will also be tackling the implications of the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak and US actions in the Middle East.

Here are some of the key developments from the conference so far.

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