Every year, the “Munich Security Report” lists the greatest concerns and fears of selected nations. For Germany, the survey puts the threat of cyber attacks in first place, followed by concerns about increasing inequality in the country. The danger of radical Islamist terrorism and Russia are also mentioned very often, as is fear of organized crime and mass immigration as a result of wars and climate change. Incidentally, concerns about the general consequences of climate change have lost importance compared to previous years and are now only in the middle range.
According to the report, two thirds of Germans consider the USA under Trump to be a less reliable NATO member than in previous years. The values are from November 2025 – before the Greenland debate at the turn of the year. 22 percent said U.S. reliability had not changed, while 8 percent said it had improved under Trump. Skepticism also prevails among other countries: “In fact, around half to two thirds of respondents in selected European countries and Canada say that the USA has become a less reliable NATO member,” says the report.
The US Ambassador to NATO, Matthew G. Whitaker, described the basic assumptions of the report as “completely wrong”. “We are not trying to dismantle NATO,” he said. The aim of the five percent spending target is to strengthen the alliance. But Trump doesn’t want US taxpayers to bear the burden of security in Europe. This also applies to imbalances in trade flows. “The term free riding is the right term when it comes to security and trade,” Whitaker said.
The most prominent guests at the Munich Security Conference will include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. For the first time, Friedrich Merz (CDU) will take part in the conference as Chancellor and present his government’s security policy. More than 70 heads of state and government as well as more than 100 foreign and defense ministers are expected.
