The motto of the security conference "Peace through dialogue" is a contradiction in terms: anyone who issues an international warrant against the President of the Russian Federation and does not invite any representatives does not want dialogue!

In my view, 2023 was characterised by three very negative developments within the EU, the disastrous effects of which will only be felt slowly and over many years.

The EU countries are not able to compensate for the economic losses caused by the sanctions against the Russian Federation. The process of deindustrialisation in Europe continues. This is resulting in a permanent loss of wealth for Western societies.

There is a gold-rush atmosphere - especially among those companies that are supposed to "rebuild" Ukraine. This includes the arms and technology industry, such as the Rheinmetall corporation.

Howitzers are rolling through militarily neutral Austria without state permission. NATO member Hungary has apparently refused these very transports.

With funds from the European Peace Facility, the European Union now plans to procure munition for Ukraine.The EU is once again contradicting itself as a "peace project". It is high time to invest these billions in diplomatic negotiations.

Among the many negative developments we have seen recently in Munich, the crisis of diplomacy is evident. Diplomatic meetings have the character of elitist private clubs and are held in parallel with international organisations.

Under the pretext of international law or the breach of rule of law principles, international courts are also abused for their own economic and political purposes. This is particularly evident in the behaviour of neutral states like Austria.

On 14 September, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen began her speech - with reference to Ukraine and Russia - with a key sentence. If we look at this sentence from a different perspective, the alternative speech script almost unfolds itself.

In the wake of the Corona and Ukraine crises, many states are remarkably unanimous in breaking taboos concerning data retention and digital identity.