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Building a Transatlantic To-Do List
A Readout From the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, DC, in May 2022
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, transatlantic partners showed remarkable unity. Building on this transatlantic momentum, the discussions at the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, DC, highlighted the need to develop joint responses to the "Zeitenwende." This includes a multitude of challenges beyond Russia. Maintaining unity, investing in the strength of democracies, and deepening global partnerships will be vital. A new Munich Security Brief summarizes the Meeting's discussions and the ambitious "transatlantic to-do list" that emerged from them.
From May 9 to 11, 2022, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) hosted a Munich Leaders Meeting (MLM) in Washington, DC, that brought together around 80 senior decision-makers and experts from governments, parliaments, armed forces, business, and research institutions from both sides of the Atlantic. The MLM charged participants with taking stock of where they stand at the "Zeitenwende," which presents the world with a wave of mutually reinforcing crises, and articulating ways to shape the short- and long-term future.
The Munich Security Brief captures the strong consensus among the participants in the MLM that transatlantic partners must maintain and further deepen their bonds. As the systemic competition with autocracies hardens, democracies will need to strengthen their positions. That means bolstering defense, economic competitiveness, and societal resilience, and securing public support through clear communication. To assume credible global leadership and build partnerships in the Global South, commitment to good governance and the rule of law must be leitmotif of the domestic and foreign policies of the transatlantic partners.
From the three days of discussion at the MLM on the full range of challenges posed by Russia, China, and numerous other global crises emerged a long list of wide-ranging and ambitious actions items for the transatlantic partners to pursue. The Munich Security Brief presents this "transatlantic to-do list."
