THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS – JUNE 23, 2025 – The Atlantic Council and the Munich Security Conference (MSC) announced today a new strategic partnership to deepen the transatlantic relationship, foster international cooperation and confront the most urgent global security challenges.
This partnership will harness the combined expertise and network of the Atlantic Council and the MSC to deliver impactful policy analysis, convene global leaders, and craft actionable solutions to today’s most pressing security challenges. The partners will discuss and address topics such as the future of NATO, transatlantic security, and the support of Ukraine. They will also address broader issues, including cybersecurity, economic instability, and the strategic impact of emerging technologies. Through collaborative events, research, and policy recommendations, the partnership aims to inform and engage governments, think tanks, and civil society worldwide.
This collaboration builds on decades of close engagement and a shared commitment to the enduring principles and values that have underpinned transatlantic relations since World War II.
“For more than two decades, the Atlantic Council and the MSC have enjoyed a deep and abiding partnership in service of strengthening transatlantic unity,” said Frederick Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council. “This agreement formalizes a legacy of collaboration and renews our shared commitment to addressing the defining challenges of our time—including ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, as well as rising tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. At this inflection point in the transatlantic relationship, there is no better place to reaffirm that commitment than the NATO Summit. Against the backdrop of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, the need for allied solidarity is more urgent than ever.”
“The launch of this partnership could not be more timely,” said Benedikt Franke, Vice Chairman and CEO of the Munich Security Conference. “As champions of a strong transatlantic relationship, we must explain its purpose more than ever and contribute to creating a narrative that will stand the test of time. Both the Atlantic Council and the Munich Security Conference know how to address uncomfortable but urgent questions in our fields of expertise. This is why this will be a fruitful cooperation.”
Both organizations are united in their commitment to democratic values, human rights, and a rules-based international order.
About the Atlantic Council
The Atlantic Council promotes constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the Atlantic community’s central role in meeting global challenges. The Council provides an essential forum for navigating the dramatic economic and political changes defining the twenty-first century by informing and galvanizing its uniquely influential network of global leaders. The Atlantic Council—through the papers it publishes, the ideas it generates, the future leaders it develops, and the communities it builds—shapes policy choices and strategies to create a more free, secure, and prosperous world.
About the Munich Security Conference
Over the course of more than six decades, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) has developed into the world’s leading forum for the debate of international security policy. Its mission is to build trust and to contribute to the peaceful resolution of conflicts by sustaining a continuous, curated and informal dialogue within the international security community. Each February, the MSC brings together hundreds of senior decision-makers and thought-leaders from around the world. In addition to its flagship conference, the MSC regularly convenes high-profile events on particular topics and regions and publishes its annual Munich Security Report.