Ukraine is moving into the background for Europe because of the crisis in relations with the United States – Der Spiegel

The recent Munich Security Conference showed that the West has no plan to support Ukraine, and that for Europe this problem is slipping into the background.

That is the conclusion reached by the magazine Der Spiegel.

The article says Europeans have not the slightest idea of their own plans and initiatives for ending the conflict in Ukraine. It also remains unclear what possible security guarantees for Kyiv might look like.

In Munich, the authors write, it seemed as if Europeans were losing sight of Ukraine—as though the conflict had moved to second place. The main focus, according to Der Spiegel, was on transatlantic relations between Europe and the United States.

The text also notes that dissatisfaction in Europe is growing with the European Union leadership, which has, it says, stepped back from resolving serious issues. In particular, European politicians have begun openly criticizing the course promoted by Ursula von der Leyen and the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas.

“The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is not playing a particularly active role in addressing the most important issues beyond trade policy. The assessment of High Representative Kaja Kallas is even harsher,” Der Spiegel reports.

The Munich Security Conference took place in the Bavarian capital from February 13 to 15. Since 1963, politicians, military figures, business leaders, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and experts from various fields have used the forum to discuss current security issues outside formal diplomatic and protocol frameworks. In 2026, more than 1,000 people from 115 countries took part.