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Finbarr Bermingham

Alyssa Chen

Amber Wang

World leaders and senior diplomats descended on Munich on Friday for a weekend that could mould the future of global geopolitics.
Top officials from China, the United States and Europe were meeting at the Munich Security Conference to discuss US President Donald Trump’s vow to end the war in Ukraine by negotiating directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Taking questions from organisers after his speech at the conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi threw his support behind Trump’s plans.
“China would love to see all efforts conducive to peace ... The United States reached a common understanding with Russia and we believe that all parties and all stakeholders should, at an appropriate time, participate in the peace talks process,” Wang said.
But the veteran diplomat also used Trump’s words and actions as a contrast to Beijing’s own behaviour.
“Over the years, some have been saying that China is attempting to change the order and China wants to start a new system,” Wang said.
“Now we don’t see much talk of that because now there is a country that is withdrawing from international treaties and organisations and I think in Europe, you can feel chills almost every day. As for China, it is growing in the existing order – China is a beneficiary.”
Wang said he was “confident” about relations with Washington, but warned that if the US tried to “suppress and contain” China, “we have no choice but play along to the end”.
Taking the stage before Wang, Vice-President J.D. Vance had been expected to reveal further details on Trump’s thinking on Ukraine.
Instead, Vance used his speech to pummel European governments for their policies on migration and digital governance, suggesting the transatlantic relationship was in severe trouble. Where Wang tried to entice Europe with the carrots of cooperation and the status quo, Vance came armed with sticks and stones.
“The threat that I worry the most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia. It’s not China, it’s not any other external actor. And what I worry about is the threat from within,” Vance told an audience that was mostly stunned into silence.
He railed against cases in Sweden and Britain in which religious protesters were jailed for burning copies of the Koran and canvassing outside abortion clinics, appearing to link the policies to the US’ ongoing military presence in Europe.
“How will you even begin to think through the kinds of [defence] budgeting questions if we don’t know what it is that we are defending in the first place … If you are running in fear of your own voters, there’s nothing America can do for you,” Vance said.


Vance was preceded on the stage by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
During her speech, von der Leyen warned that Europe risked being caught between two superpowers, but insisted that the continent would step up its spending on defence.
“We should not underestimate the disruptive potential of intense competition or even a bipolar conflict between China and the United States. This may be uncomfortable to hear. But this is a time for plain speaking,” she said.
She added that “authoritarians of this world are carefully watching” the unfolding situation on Ukraine, to see “whether there’s any impunity if you invade your neighbour”.
The real business takes place on the margins of the conclave, with a diplomatic flurry expected in the cavernous Hotel Bayerischer Hof.
There has been frenzied anticipation as to whether it will be the venue for a high-level meeting between the US and China since Trump’s return to the White House last month.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected in the Bavarian city over the weekend and could meet Wang. Vance, meanwhile, was expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Europeans, too, will be hoping for face time with both parties. Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas was scheduled to meet Wang on Friday morning, but the meeting was delayed due to logistical challenges.
It will be her first encounter with Chinese leadership since taking up the post in December.
Asked by the Post what her message for Wang would be, Kallas said: “The message is very clear – if China wants to have good relations with Europe, they have to stop enabling Russia’s war.”
With Europe roiled by Trump’s plans to cut it out of discussions over the future of Ukraine, Kallas’ meeting with Wang in snow-covered Munich will be closely watched for any signs of a thaw in EU-China ties.

Anxiety has been coursing through the EU since Wednesday, when US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth announced that any European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine would not be covered by Nato’s mutual defence pact, Article 5.
“It is an electroshock. We need asymmetric shocks, we need external shocks. It is an exogenous shock for Europeans,” French President Emmanuel Macron told the Financial Times on Friday, about the return of Trump.
“This model, that is saying you have the Chinese market as an outlet, you have the American umbrella for our security and you have cheap Russian gas to be able to produce – forget all three.”
Arriving at the Munich summit on Friday, Zelensky said he was “prepared to engage” with Trump’s peace plan. The summit, meanwhile, was awash with rumours that a Russian delegation was in town, although European officials said they were certain no deal would be struck on Ukraine this weekend.
“We don’t see any deals being made here in Munich,” Kallas said. “We coordinated with our European allies yesterday.”


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Ukraine war

In Munich, China backs Trump’s Ukraine peace process as Vance launches attack on Europe

US Vice-President J.D. Vance holds talks with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in Munich on Friday. Photo: Reuters

In his speech to the security conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said “China would love to see all efforts conducive to peace”. Photo: EPA-EFE

Ukraine says it won’t accept US-Russia peace deal reached without Kyiv

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant in Netishyn. Photo: Ukrainian presidential press service via AFP

China validated on its ‘rational’ Ukraine war position, Wang Yi says on Britain visit

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet in London on Thursday to discuss the path to peace in the Ukraine war as well as China-UK cooperation. Photo: PA Wire/dpa

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy (left) and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet in London on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Transatlantic trade war nears as Trump and EU clash over metals tariffs and digital laws

US President Donald Trump signs an executive order in Washington on Monday imposing 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports. Photo: EPA-EFE

Trump floats Ukraine ‘may be Russian someday’ ahead of Zelensky-Vance meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet US Vice-President J.D. Vance on Friday. Photo: AFP

A Ukrainian self-propelled howitzer fires towards Russian positions at the front line in the Donetsk region, Ukraine. Photo: AP

Russian soldiers prepare to fire toward Ukrainian positions in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry via AP

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: AFP

Russian servicemen wave flags on the roof of a building in Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk region, in January. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry via EPA-EFE 

Risks or opportunities? China, Ukraine brace for Trump agenda at top security summit

Donald Trump’s “America first” trade policy casts a shadow over Europe as nations prepare for the annual Munich Security Conference. Photo: Reuters

News

China

Diplomacy

J.D. Vance stuns security conference by railing at European governments and talk of ‘threats from within’


J.D. Vance stuns security conference by railing at European governments and talk of ‘threats from within’.
