Sobriety rather than sentiment marked the remarks of Benedikt Franke, Vice Chairman and CEO of the Munich Security Conference, at this year’s Starnberger See Talks.
“The fun is over,” he began, with a dry smile. His intention, he added, was not to dampen the mood but to speak with candor—and, paradoxically, to encourage resolve. What followed was less a lament than a wake-up call. The real challenge, Franke argued, is not artificial intelligence, but our political sluggishness, our self-deceptions, and the dependencies we have so carefully woven over decades. The time has come, he urged, to unpick them.
Europe, he said, knows perfectly well what must be done. “We are simply moving too slowly.” And from that hesitation, he warned, grow vulnerabilities—ones that are being consciously exploited. His assessment was unsparing, his tone unusually forthright: hope, he said, is a poor strategist. Moral indignation, no matter how righteous, is no substitute for sound security policy.
Five Imperatives for Europe
Franke set out five fields of action—tangible, not theoretical—against which Europe’s resolve will be measured.
Strategic Autonomy
Germany and Europe, he said, must learn to stand on their own. The potential is there, and it is vast; what is missing is political will. The continent cannot indefinitely rely on others for supplies, technologies, or leadership. Such dependencies—economic as well as technological—are not logistical matters but geopolitical liabilities.
Reducing Concentration Risks and Building Alternative Supply Chains
Franke pointed to rare earths as a vivid example: “China currently controls more than 90 percent,” he noted—a concentration of power that can be wielded as a strategic lever. He invoked the strategist Sun Tzu: “If you cannot win in this valley, seek another.” Europe, he said, must diversify—through new partnerships, alternative markets, and additional sources of supply.
Partnerships, Not Preaching
Across the Global South, he warned, the perception is growing that Europe still does not take others seriously. “We must not continue to overlook those who were once disadvantaged.” Franke cautioned against moral double standards and called for genuine partnerships. Defense, he reminded the audience, is not defined solely by weapons and drones; economic, social, and diplomatic ties are integral to any modern security architecture.
Reviving Multilateralism — Strengthening and Depoliticizing the United Nations
The global order, Franke observed, has become increasingly politicized and, as a result, paralyzed. “It cannot be,” he said, “that at a meeting of five nations, three refuse to speak to one another.” Many of the world’s key decisions are now made outside the UN framework. The organization must be made functional again—and that means returning to the art of negotiation rather than the theater of posturing.
Listening—Truly Listening
“We keep making the same mistake,” Franke said, “of not believing people when they tell us what they intend to do.” That, he argued, applies to Russia, to China, and to others. Public statements—Putin’s, Xi’s—should not be dismissed as bluster; they should be taken at their word and translated into strategy.
Of Power Plays and the Next War
Franke painted a sobering picture of a world in which old imperial ambitions meet new geopolitical assertiveness. The signs, he said, suggest that some actors are preparing not only to defend themselves but to impose their will—by means that may not be conventional. “You know the saying,” he added. “We always prepare for the last war. We should prepare for the next—or the one after that—and it may not be fought with drones alone.”
He spoke plainly of Russia’s posture, its military and political leverage, and the question of whether Europe and its allies can muster the political resolve to halt the war. Some analysts, he noted, already foresee a more assertive Russia by 2029. His appeal was for foresight, steadiness, and strategic composure rather than panic.
Values Are No Refuge
A recurring theme ran through Franke’s remarks: values matter—but not as a shield for inaction. Europe must regain its capacity to act and its readiness to wield power when the circumstances demand it. “We often know what to do,” he said, “we simply don’t do it fast enough.”
Realism Over Illusion
Franke closed with an appeal as pointed as it was pragmatic. The age of hesitation, he said, is over. Those who choose to engage in geopolitics must also accept responsibility—and the burdens it entails. Europe possesses resources and potential, but it needs priorities, strategic autonomy, diversification, and true partnerships. Political rhetoric will not suffice. What is required are decisions—real ones, often difficult ones.
And his final line, delivered with characteristic bluntness, lingered in the air:
“Hope is not a strategy.” Those who take Europe seriously, he said, must act now—before others fill the gaps we have left open for far too long.
Next year’s Starnberger See Talks will take place on 17 September 2026 (in German):
https://steinbeis-ifem.de/starnberger-see-gespraeche-2/
