The future of the European security architecture and the situation surrounding the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty will dominate the agenda of the 55th Munich Security Conference to begin on Friday.
Organizers expect it to gather the record number of participants – about 600 politicians, experts, businessmen and human rights activists from all over the world are expected to join the debate. Over 35 heads of states and governments, about 50 foreign ministers and 30 defense ministers are expected to attend.
During the next three days, the participants of the forum will discuss a wide range of issues that includes future of Europe’s defense policy, West-Russia relations, Ukrainian crisis, conflicts in the Middle East and Venezuela, the role of China in the world and many other matters.
Munich Security Conference Chairman Wolfgang Ischinger said a meeting on Ukrainian reconciliation may be held on the sidelines of the event – either between Russia and Ukraine or in the Normandy Format (comprising Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France).
The Nord Stream-2 pipeline project, which has been a source of heated debates in Europe, is also likely to be discussed.