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On February 15, 2019, 55th Munich Security Conference opened in Munich. Ursula von der Leyen, Federal Minister of Defence, Federal Republic of Germany, and Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, made speeches at the opening session of the Conference. About 600 politicians, diplomats, military representatives from business and academic circles from around the world took part in one of the most authoritative and representative global forums. The U.S. delegation was headed by Michael Pence, Vice President of the United States, other delegates included Michael Pompeo, Secretary of State, Patrick Shanahan, acting United States Secretary of Defense, and Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Yang Jiechi, director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, represented China at the event.

In total, more than 35 heads of state and government, about 50 foreign ministers, and 30 defense ministers took part in the conference. The German government, in addition to the Minister of Defense, was represented by Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, Heiko Maas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olaf Scholz, Federal Minister of Finance and Vice Chancellor, Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, as well as Jens Spahn, Federal Minister of Health, and Julia Kloeckner, Parliamentary Secretary of State for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. About 45 Bundestag deputies arrived in Munich.

For three days, the conference discussed the future of European security, relations between the West and Russia, ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, conflicts in the Middle East and Venezuela, China’s role in the world, and the future of arms control. Considerable attention was paid to the issues of information security, migration, climate change, the impact of global financial problems on international security, etc.

On February 15, 2019, 55th Munich Security Conference opened in Munich. Ursula von der Leyen, Federal Minister of Defence, Federal Republic of Germany, and Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, made speeches at the opening session of the Conference. About 600 politicians, diplomats, military representatives from business and academic circles from around the world took part in one of the most authoritative and representative global forums. The U.S. delegation was headed by Michael Pence, Vice President of the United States, other delegates included Michael Pompeo, Secretary of State, Patrick Shanahan, acting United States Secretary of Defense, and Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Yang Jiechi, director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, represented China at the event.

In total, more than 35 heads of state and government, about 50 foreign ministers, and 30 defense ministers took part in the conference. The German government, in addition to the Minister of Defense, was represented by Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, Heiko Maas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olaf Scholz, Federal Minister of Finance and Vice Chancellor, Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, as well as Jens Spahn, Federal Minister of Health, and Julia Kloeckner, Parliamentary Secretary of State for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. About 45 Bundestag deputies arrived in Munich.

For three days, the conference discussed the future of European security, relations between the West and Russia, ways to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, conflicts in the Middle East and Venezuela, China’s role in the world, and the future of arms control. Considerable attention was paid to the issues of information security, migration, climate change, the impact of global financial problems on international security, etc.

Russia was represented at the forum by Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister. A group of RIAC members, including Alexander Dynkin, Herman Gref, Alexander Grushko, Igor Ivanov, Sergey Karaganov, Andrey Kortunov, Konstantin Kosachev, Mikhail Margelov, Igor Morgulov, Alexey Pushkov, Sergey Ryabkov, Alexander Shokhin, Vladimir Titov, Dmitry Trenin, and Igor Yurgens, took part in Munich Security Conference.

On the first day within the framework of security session, German Council on Foreign Relations held a round table focusing on “Power Policy and the New Order in the Middle East: Opportunities for the Involvement of Europe and Germany in Syria”.

The round table discussed the current state of the Syrian conflict, the role of the great powers and regional players, the prerequisites for the participation of the European Union and Germany in post-conflict reconstruction of Syria.

The round table was attended by diplomats and government officials from Europe, the United States, Middle Eastern states, and international experts on the region. Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, made a speech at the event.

On February 16, 2019, a regular meeting of the international Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group (EASLG) focusing on the issues of Euro-Atlantic security was held as part of the Munich Security Conference.

The meeting was attended by about seventy statesmen, politicians, parliamentarians, diplomats, military and public figures from Europe and the United States, including the current presidents and foreign ministers of several European countries, Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, General Curtis Scaparrotti, Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations, and others.

At the event, EASLG presented its statements on Cyber Threats to Nuclear Weapons Systems and Crisis Management Dialogue. RIAC members: Alexander Grushko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Igor Ivanov, RIAC President, Sergey Karaganov, Dean of the Department of World Economics and World Politics, Higher School of Economic, Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, took part in the following discussion.

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Poll conducted

  1. In your opinion, what are the US long-term goals for Russia?
    U.S. wants to establish partnership relations with Russia on condition that it meets the U.S. requirements  
     33 (31%)
    U.S. wants to deter Russia’s military and political activity  
     30 (28%)
    U.S. wants to dissolve Russia  
     24 (22%)
    U.S. wants to establish alliance relations with Russia under the US conditions to rival China  
     21 (19%)
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