Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at the Munich Security Conference, February 14, 2026 (Liesa Johannssen/Reuters)

EA on TVP World: The Munich Security Conference and Trump’s Threat to Europe

Saturday’s Coverage: Europe’s Leaders Support Kyiv at Munich Security Conference

UPDATE 1657 GMT:

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said of the conclusion of five European countries that Russia killed imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny with Ecudorean frog toxin (see 0717 GMT):

We are, of course, aware of this report. It’s a disturbing report. We are aware of Mr. Navalny’s case, and, of course… we have no reason to question it.

Asked why the US did not join the statement, Rubio said, “That doesn’t mean we disagree with the outcome. It just wasn’t our initiative. Sometimes countries take action on their own, based on their own intelligence,.”

He said the US “doesn’t dispute” the conclusion and doesn’t intend to “confront these countries” over the statement.

UPDATE 1433 GMT:

Former Ukraine Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko was detained while attempting to cross the border by train, reports the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine.

Halushchenko, Energy Minister from 2021 to 2025, is being transported to Kyiv for further questioning and investigative procedures.

He is under investigation by NABU in connection with the Energoatom corruption case, in which up to $100 million in kickbacks was paid by individuals and companies seeking contracts in Ukraine’s nuclear energy industry.

During court hearings in November, anti-corruption prosecutors cited audio recordings obtained by investigators. Suspects allegedly discuss dividing kickbacks while referring to a figure nicknamed “Professor”, whom prosecutors believe to be Halushchenko.

Ukraine’s Parliament approved Halushchenko’s resignation on Nov. 19 after President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly urged him to step down.

UPDATE 1038 GMT:

At least three civilians have been murdered and 15 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.

Air defenses downed 55 of 83 drones, but at least 25 struck 12 locations.

In the Kherson region in the south, two people were killed and five injured. Two apartment buildings, six private houses, a gas pipeline, and private vehicles were damaged.

In the neighboring Zaporizhzhia region, one civilian was slain and seven wounded amid 658 strikes on 33 settlements.

UPDATE 1030 GMT:

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas and Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs have pushed back on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for a specific date for Kyiv’s accession to the European Union.

Rinkēvičs said, “We understand that we need Ukraine in the European Union,” but he has a “kind of feeling that at this point, as we speak today here in Munich in February, there is no readiness to [agree on] a date”.

Kallas echoed, “My feeling is that the member states are not ready to give a concrete date. There’s a lot of work to be done, but I think the [sense of] priority…to move and to show that Ukraine is part of Europe is there.”

UPDATE 0717 GMT:

Intelligence agencies of five European countries have concluded that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who perished in a remote Arctic penal colony two years ago, was killed by dart frog poison administered by Russian State operatives.

The UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said in a statement that laboratory testing found the deadly toxin epibatidine, in samples taken from Navalny’s body before his burial and sent to two countries.

Only the Russian state had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin to target Navalny during his imprisonment in a Russian penal colony in Siberia, and we hold it responsible for his death.

Epibatidine can be found naturally in dart frogs in the wild in South America. Dart frogs in captivity do not produce this toxin and it is not found naturally in Russia. There is no innocent explanation for its presence in Navalny’s body.

The UK said it is reporting Russia to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, calling the “barbaric” poisoning a flagrant violation by of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Navalny, who survived an attempted assassination with a nerve agent in 2020, was serving sentences totaling 30 years.

His widow Yulia Navalnaya posted:

I was certain from the first day that my husband had been poisoned, but now there is proof: Putin killed Alexei with chemical weapon….

Vladimir Putin is a murderer. He must be held accountable for all his crimes.

News of Navalny’s killing came during the Munich Security Conference almost exactly two years ago. Navalnaya told the session:

I would like Putin and all his staff, everybody around him, his government, his friends, I want them to know that they will be punished for what they have done with our country.

With my family and with my husband, they will be brought to justice. And this day will come soon.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a security guarantee of at least 20 years in any agreement to end Russia’s 4-year full-scale invasion.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Zelensky also called for a clear date for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. The President has sought membership as early as 2027.

The President said of the third set of Ukraine-Russia-US talks, scheduled for Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday:

[I hope they] will be serious, substantive, helpful for all of us but, honestly, sometimes it feels like the sides are talking about completely different things.

The Americans often return to the topic of concessions and too often those concessions are discussed only in the context of Ukraine, not Russia.

Zelensky to Leaders: “Are You Ready For The Challenges?”

In his address, Zelensky pressed leaders:

Ask yourselves: are you ready not only for the challenges that Russian aggression brings, the challenges of modern war, but also for the constant effort to convince the world to fight for support to defend your country’s interests every single day as Ukraine must do?

With images of recent Russian strikes behind him, he continued:

I want you to understand the real scale of these attacks on Ukraine.

As you can see, in just one month this January, we had … to defend against 6000 attack drones, most of them were Shahid drones, and 150 plus Russian missiles of different types, and more than 5000 glide bombs.

And it’s like these every month. Imagine this over your own city. Shattered streets, destroyed homes, schools built underground.

And this is daily life in Ukraine because of Russia.

The President expressed frustration over Ukraine waiting “months” or “years” for much needed supplies: “Everyone who seeks security and peace must understand this every day matters.”

Zelensky Speaks With Trump’s Officials

Zelensky finally met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Conference.

Rubio skipped a Friday meeting of European leaders discussing Ukraine.

In the Q&A after his speech, Rubio insisted that Russia is genuinely negotiating over an end of its invasion.

They say they are, and under what terms they were willing to do it, and whether we can find terms that are acceptable to Ukraine upon that Russia will always agree to, but we’re going to continue to test it.

The Secretary of State did push back against the Kremlin’s demands for all of the strategic Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine: “They desire 20% of Donetsk they don’t possess.”

He said Russia is not triumphing as it is “difficult to say anyone is winning”.

Zelensky also spoke with Donald Trump’s envoys, real estate developer Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Donald Trump.