The post-war international order is under unprecedented strain. At the 2026 Munich Security Conference, a stark warning has emerged: The United States is "taking an axe" to decades of established global norms. As the conference opens in Munich, Europe finds itself struggling to adapt to a rapidly shifting strategic reality, while global economic uncertainty continues to mount. What does this mean for transatlantic ties, international institutions, and the rules-based order built after World War II? How will Europe navigate this new normal, and how is China viewing the changes underway?
