From 13 to 14 February 2026, Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, together with Defence Minister Yuriko Backes, took part in the 62nd edition of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), which is being held at the Bayerischer Hof in the Bavarian capital until 15 February.
Nearly 50 heads of state and government have gathered in Munich to discuss international cooperation in the field of security. This year’s conference is held under the theme “Under Destruction”, focusing on the profound disruption of the international order.
As perceptions shift towards the view that international relations are increasingly shaped by the law of the strongest rather than the strength of the law, the need for countries to be capable of defending themselves if necessary is growing. Europe’s security relies to a significant extent on its membership of NATO. However, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned whether the US would unequivocally support its allies in the event of a crisis, arguing that Europe must invest more in its own defence as a precondition for such support.
Judging by Bettel’s remarks in Munich, that message has been clearly received: according to a government press release, Bettel stated that this year’s conference is taking place against a backdrop of deep uncertainty for Europe’s security, in a world increasingly characterised by armed conflicts and heightened geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions. In response to these challenges, he stressed that Luxembourg’s priority is to strengthen Europe’s resilience, defend shared values, and safeguard the unity of its alliances. He underlined that dialogue and diplomacy, precisely the kind facilitated by the MSC, are more essential than ever.
In conversation with RTL, Bettel explained that Luxembourg remains committed within NATO and that membership of the Alliance entails concrete responsibilities. In his view, countries wishing to remain credible partners must also shoulder their share of the burden. At the same time, he argued that Europe should avoid putting itself at a disadvantage by relying excessively on foreign procurement when it has the capacity to develop and manufacture equipment itself.
Bettel cited Airbus as a successful example of European industrial cooperation, noting that it has become Boeing’s largest competitor precisely because European countries managed to act collectively in a genuine European spirit. He suggested that a similar approach could be applied in the defence sector, with Europe taking on greater responsibility as a strong pillar within NATO.
Commenting on the speech delivered in Munich by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Bettel described it as more collegial in tone than the address given last year by US Vice President JD Vance, adding that it had been met with standing ovations.
On the margins of the conference, Bettel and Backes held several bilateral meetings.
The press release also states that Backes co-organised a high-level roundtable together with the organisation Women Political Leaders, focusing on how to translate the Women, Peace, and Security agenda into concrete strategy.
Referring to the conference theme “Under Destruction”, Backes noted that it reflects the geopolitical upheavals currently affecting Europe and the wider world, with the rules-based international order increasingly under strain. She concluded that Europe must emerge stronger within a stable alliance grounded in shared values, where partners on both sides of the Atlantic engage with one another on equal footing.
