Welcome back to a special edition of Foreign Policy’s SitRep from the Munich Security Conference (MSC), taking place in a glitzy hotel with many foreign dignitaries and national security experts. Today’s headlines include the shocking news of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny’s death in prison, concerns over Russia’s long-term designs on NATO’s eastern flank, and closed-door diplomatic talks on the Middle East crisis.
On Friday, it was reported that Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died at the Polar Wolf penal colony in Russia, sending shockwaves through the security conference. Attendees, including Navalny’s wife and top Biden administration officials, were stunned by the news. Navalnaya addressed the crowd, stating that Putin and those around him will be held accountable for what they did to their country. Initially, confusion and shock spread through the hotel, with attendees visibly affected by Navalny’s death.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, the keynote speaker at the conference, spoke out about the situation, and there are now questions about what the Biden administration’s response will be. Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas called for stronger sanctions on Russia, while U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Putin should be held accountable for what happened. This tragic event has overshadowed much of the discussions at the conference.
Harris used her podium in Munich as an opportunity to make a case for the Biden administration’s foreign policy and urged the U.S. to stand strong for democracy. However, she and Secretary of State Antony Blinken face challenges in assuring allies, as $60 billion in U.S. military aid to Ukraine, as well as aid for Israel and Taiwan, is stalled in Congress.
On the security front, top diplomats, including Cameron, are meeting privately to discuss the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Meanwhile, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna warned that the Russian military may test NATO’s borders within three to four years, and that Putin’s ambitions extend beyond Ukraine. An ongoing battle in Ukraine’s Avdiivka region could result in a Pyrrhic victory for Russia.
The tragic death of Navalny and the ongoing crises in the Middle East and Ukraine continue to dominate the discussions at the conference. The implications of these events will have wide-ranging consequences for global security, and the international community will be closely watching the responses of world leaders.