The 2026 Munich Security Conference was marked by a widening gap between the United States and Europe on security, migration, and freedom of speech. While the U.S. is pushing for European strategic autonomy, European politicians are becoming agitated by how it is being put on the agenda.

Last week, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Azerbaijani veteran journalist, Orkhan Amashov, for his leading AnewZ program “Context". It was indeed another significant opportunity to analyse Europe’s security challenges, as well as those in the Middle East and beyond.