During the Munich Security Conference the SPD parliamentary group is preparing to confront provocations from the U.S. government this weekend. Last year, U.S. senior politicians used the Munich platform to discredit Germany and Europe right on our doorstep, said SPD foreign‑policy spokesperson Adis Ahmetovic to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. He added that they must again be ready – calmly, united, and confident. Democracies need respect among partners, not lectures.
Ahmetovic explained that the conference must send a clear signal of European strength and responsibility. Besides European confidence, it should promote cooperation with other global powers such as Canada, Australia, and the Global South. “Most states want an international order based on rules and law, not egomania”. He criticized leaders like U.S. President Donald Trump and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin for their unilateral style, stressing that this weekend should make that point clear.
CDU foreign‑policy figure Jürgen Hardt urged calm. The swift U.S. response to Brussels’ customs announcements on the Greenland dispute vividly showed how much the United States depends on Europe. “I do not believe that the U.S. and Europe have fundamentally different interests” he said. Instead, we should respond more calmly to Washington’s sometimes odd remarks. Both the federal government and the Bundestag plan to use the Munich conference to deepen dialogue with the United States. “Critical tones can be part of that” Hardt said, adding that the close ties between the U.S. and Europe remain unchanged.
