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In an interview with diplo.news and a group of foreign correspondents, former ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, acting chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), gave an overview of the upcoming conference, which will take place from February 13 to 15, 2026.

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Almost a thousand official participants are expected, around a thousand journalists are accredited and 500 observers are registered. Since the Bayerischer Hof only has just a few more 300 rooms, all hotels in the area are fully booked. The heads of state and government are accommodated directly in the Bayerischer Hof so that the police and bodyguards can keep track of things.

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The MSC is managing the event with more than a hundred permanent employees and an additional several hundred volunteers.

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Middle East policy: “EU has fallen into a deep hole”

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Ischinger is annoyed by Europe's role in major conflicts. In the past, the Middle East Quartet tried to mediate the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The quartet consisted of the USA, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.

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“But now the EU is sitting in the third row like a potted plant. I find that inappropriate. Why are we sitting on the sidelines watching, even though these are our neighbors?" asks Ischinger. He has the same concern when he thinks about Ukraine and the recent summit in Abu Dhabi. The Europeans are left out.

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Since the Hamas attack on Israel, Europe has “fallen into a deep hole” despite its long-standing Middle East policy. His generation has seen how Europe has tried for decades to contribute to a coherent Middle East policy and a policy of peace. And now Europe is no longer even a member of the Middle East Quartet.

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Educational effect for US politicians

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Ischinger emphasized the educational impact of the MSC on American congressmen. “They are based in their American constituencies. It is high time that they hear from us what we think about American foreign policy.” For the congressmen, the MSC is an “educational contribution.” He expects the American participants to return from Munich with the realization that Europe is important to them and should not be left to its own devices.

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The MSC is unique, especially for the US. “Nowhere in the world do you ever get the chance to have ten or twenty senators in a room. In Washington, you must be happy to see one or two a day. The only place in the whole world is the Bayerische Hof in Munich. “Interest in the MSC remains very high in Washington, both on Capitol Hill and in the administration.

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When will Jens Stoltenberg take office?

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Ischinger was asked about the future leadership of the MSC and his personal role at the helm of the institution. This is because the personnel policy in the executive suite requires explanation. Initially, Ischinger was chairman of the MSC from 2008 to 2022, succeeding Horst Teltschik. Christoph Heusgen then took over the position. However, the former foreign policy advisor to German Chancellor Angela Merkel was only responsible for three editions of the MSC. At the same time, Ischinger, who continued to pull the strings behind the scenes, won over outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as the new chairman. Stoltenberg accepted the chairmanship but did not take office. Since then, he has left the chairmanship dormant as long as he is needed in Norway as finance minister.

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Ischinger explained to journalists that he knew Stoltenberg felt “fully committed,” but that “he still has to do his homework in Norway.” He expects “that Stoltenberg will call at some point in the course of this year and say: 'I am coming. '” That is when his own role as interim chairman comes to an end.

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ekö