Future of EU and Palestine/Israel dominate end of Munich conference

The future of the European Union and Israeli-Palestinian relations were the big talking points on the final day of the 60th Munich Security Conference.‌

The benefits of EU enlargement were discussed by European countries waiting at the door of the Union.‌

The Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili said that "enlargement of the union isn't just procedural – it's existential. In the face of common threats, unity is our strongest defense.‌

"Nothing will change the fact that we together have no other alternative than to be together, to be united, be more democratic and to stand up to what is today an alliance of autocracies, that are fueling terrorism, cyberattacks, every threat that is coming, is coming from the same direction."

‌Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis agreed, tweeting "Lithuania didn't just 'join' Europe, we fought for the freedom to return to Europe after years of Russian oppression. We will help Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and others to do the same, so Europe can be stronger and more complete."

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‌During the session on Israeli-Palestinian relations, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh remarked on the meeting between Palestinian factions scheduled for February 26 in Moscow, which will focus on the formation of a technocratic government.

‌Shtayyeh emphasized "we need Palestinian unity."

‌He reaffirmed that message to CGTN on the sidelines of the conference, saying "our priority now is to end the aggression against our people, to allow international aid to get into Gaza. But also what is more important is a political solution, not only for Gaza, but for all Palestine, that materializes into a two-state reality, where countries recognize Palestine as a state and Palestine will be admitted as a member state of the United Nations."

Many delegations at the Munich Security Conference expressed the need for international efforts towards a two-state solution, arguing that it was the only way to lower regional tensions.

‌In his address to the conference on Sunday, the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell said "Yes, we have to end the war in Gaza, but nobody has talked a lot about the West Bank. And the West Bank is the real obstacle for the two-state solution."

‌Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli settlers in the West Bank have been increasing since October 7. Palestinians view the Israeli settlements as a war crime and a major obstacle to peace, but many see living there as fulfilling a divine promise.

‌"We could be on the eve of a greater explosion," said Borrell.

‌Borrell also underlined the need for increased EU cooperation with the UN in striving towards a two-state solution during a meeting here with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

‌As the 60th year of the world's most important security conference wrapped up in Munich, conference chairman Christoph Heusgen noted how the focus of what was at stake was made clear by the news of the death of Russian government critic Alexei Navalny on the first day of the conference.

‌Strong speeches by a number of world leaders emphasized the need to "return to a rules-based order" and focus on the advantages of global cooperation to avoid the lose-lose situations that come with the fragmenting global order.

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