Munich – ESI at Munich Security Conference side event on how to strengthen European defence

13 February 2026
Munich. Photo: flickr/barnyz
Munich. Photo: flickr/barnyz

ESI’s Gerald Knaus headlined an event titled “European Defense – The Lessons of History” in Munich. The event was organized by the Institut Jean Monnet and held at the Salon Luitpold, coinciding with the Munich Security Conference.

In his speech, Gerald reflected on Europe’s development since 1945 through the lens of shared security. Gerald began by noting that Monnet was a deep proponent of European security integration. This belief has more than proven itself in the decades since Monnet first help to pool German-French steel production. The stability and prosperity experienced across much of the European continent, Gerald argued, has rested on the miraculous success of European security integration. This integration has created an unprecedented framework of co-security in which states coordinate policies, share interests, and resolve disputes through institutions rather than confrontation.  Countries that once confronted one another as enemies, including Germany and Denmark, now work together as close partners within a cooperative system that makes armed conflict between them virtually inconceivable. This security integration has allowed many Eastern European states to experience decades of stability, reform, and economic growth, without the fear of Russian aggression.

Gerald finished by pointing out the coming threat to this European security order, now under greater pressure than at any time since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, imperial Russia seeks to divide Europe to reclaim its Empire. Preserving Europe’s achievements therefore requires strengthening cooperation within Europe itself, reinforcing solidarity among EU members and partners, and responding collectively to emerging threats with clarity and determination.