Munich Security Conference: Heusgen outlines peace efforts, excludes Russian participation

Christoph Heusgen, the chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), has said he hopes that this year's forum will outline steps toward peace in Ukraine but does not expect the United States to present a specific plan for ending the war, CE Report quotes Ukrinform.

He made this statement during a press conference in Berlin on February 10.

Heusgen stated that the conference aims to provide a platform for discussions and that there are indications Munich will be used as an opportunity to take steps toward peace in Ukraine and reach certain agreements.

He also added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, representatives of the new U.S. administration -- Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg -- are expected to attend the conference. He anticipated that important discussions would take place on the sidelines of the event.

At the same time, Heusgen did not confirm whether Washington's plan for achieving peace would be made public during the conference. He mentioned that he had no knowledge of when the plan would be revealed and did not expect it to be presented in Munich. However, he said he was confident that the conference would provide an opportunity to outline its contours and determine what parameters should be included in an agreement. He also recalled that throughout its history, Munich had served as a "successful format" for such discussions.

According to Heusgen, the foundation for achieving peace must be based on international law, the principle of territorial integrity, and the UN Charter.

He also stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had disregarded numerous international agreements and that Ukrainians could no longer rely on him to honor any agreement, even if he were to accept one. Therefore, he noted that security guarantees would be a crucial element of any peace deal.

Heusgen confirmed that no Russian officials, including those not under sanctions, would be present at the forum. He clarified that neither the organizers nor the Russian side had expressed interest in their participation. However, leading figures from the Russian opposition living in exile were expected to attend.