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FROM SECRET TALKS on Europe building its own nuclear deterrent to mention of Viktor Orban’s belly – day two of the Munich Security Conference was the big day for world leaders.
The Journal is in Munich covering the three day event and has been chatting to global policymakers and military leaders.
Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State set a conciliatory tone as he said America wanted to be close to Europe.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the Munich Security Conference that he had “held confidential talks with the French president about European nuclear deterrence”.
Emmanuel Macron had also mooted the plan when he spoke at the event on Friday.
But today NATO chief Mark Rutte poured cold water on it stating that no one in Europe was pushing to replace the United States’ nuclear umbrella, after Germany said it was talking to France about its nuclear deterrence.
“I think every discussion in Europe is making sure that collectively the nuclear deterrence is even stronger, fine, but nobody is arguing in Europe to do this as a sort of replacement of the nuclear umbrella of the United States.
“Everybody realises that is the ultimate guarantor – and all these other discussions are in addition,” he said.
One of the big talking points at Munich has been the need for Europe to go it alone and develop a sovereign defence free from a dependence on the United States.
Merz and Macron are not alone in their comments as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said it was “enhancing our nuclear cooperation with France”.
Britain and France are already nuclear powers – there have been noises from other States, such as Poland, about developing their own nuclear capability.
Italy’s Giorgia Meloni has also made speeches speaking about the need for “deterrence” in recent weeks although it was unclear if she was talking about conventional military capability or something more deadly.
Britian’s nuclear deterrent already protects NATO members, and Starmer said “any adversary must know that in a crisis they could be confronted by our combined strength” alongside France.
The fact that European leaders are even discussing the topic is significant. It has often been taboo in many countries in the European Union, and certainly in Ireland.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also spoke at the event today. Much of his speech was about the continuing and ever escalating strikes by Russia.
He revealed that every power station in his country has now been struck and damaged by Russian air raids, drones and missiles.
Zelensky also drew parallels between the current talks between Russia and Ukraine over territorial concessions and the 1938 Munich Agreement, when Hitler forced territorial concessions from the European powers — a year before World War II.
Zelensky was speaking days before the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s invasion, which has killed hundreds of thousands, decimated eastern Ukraine and forced millions to flee.
Moscow’s attacks on the country’s power infrastructure have left millions without heating while the country is gripped in bitter winter cold. Kyiv and its Western allies have accused Moscow of deliberately freezing Ukraine’s population with the energy grid strikes.
Good morning from day two of Munich Security Conference. A quick video from the conference, slightly interrupted by NATO head Mark Rutte shouting at a Dutch journalist he knows.
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) February 14, 2026
Here’s my first piece from this morning: https://t.co/hJXU1ze8FY
Follow @thejournal_ie for more. pic.twitter.com/jH10J4ANCi
The pressure on Zelenskyy likely helped to drop momentarily into a personal attack on Russian ally and European Union member Viktor Orban.
During his address the Ukrainian President took a swipe at Orban’s “belly”.
Zelensky was describing how Europe gains from having Ukrainian forces battling Russian troops in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s relations with neighbouring Hungary have been strained by Orban’s support for Russia and have deteriorated further in recent weeks as the veteran leader has ramped up attacks on Ukraine ahead of a closely fought parliamentary election in April.
“There can be a sovereign Moldova and a Romania without dictatorship and even one Victor can think about how to grow his belly, not how to grow his army to stop Russian tanks from returning to the streets of Budapest.
“But look at the price. Look at the price, look at the pain Ukraine has gone through, look at the suffering Ukraine has faced. It’s Ukrainians who are holding the European front,” he said.
Although Ukraine applied to join the European Union days after Russia invaded, it has been unable to advance accession talks because of Orban’s vetoes.
Unlike other European countries, Hungary has not diversified its imports from Russia since Moscow’s assault on Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Munich conference.
Russia has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from its Donetsk region and wants Kyiv recognise its claim to the swathes of Ukraine that it occupies. Ukraine has ruled out surrendering its eastern regions and criticised the US for forcing concessions of land.
Zelensky argued that there would be more chance of ending the war if European countries had a seat at the negotiating table – something Russia has opposed.
Next week’s talks between the two sides will come after two rounds of US-Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Abu Dhabi. Originally planned for Geneva, The Swiss authorities said today that they would instead take place in Oman.
Meanwhile across the city protests took place. In one there was a mix of peace activists, anti-militarist protestors, pro-Russian supports and pacifists. They gathered in Odeonsplatz, a square about five minutes from the main area where dignitaries were gathered.
There were also Ukrainians gathered at another nearby square where they waved flags of the European Union and their own country’s blue and yellow banner.
Another protest, estimated to number 200,000 people was attended by Reza Pahlavi the exiled son of Iran’s last shah.
He told demonstrators that he was ready to lead the country as “a secular democratic future”.
US Republican senator Lyndsey Graham also spoke at the protest – carrying a “Make Iran Great Again” hat.
With reporting from AFP.
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