No Appeasement from Biden in Munich

CE's Clear Choice in a Dichotomous World

24 February 2021

Marcin Zaborowski

Visegrad Insight Senior Fellow

If Joe Biden’s clear stance in Munich is followed by action and concrete policies, Central Europe will be faced with a choice that they did not have to make in the previous years. While there is no space for appeasement with Russia, Central Europeans can no longer balance interests and renounce liberal democracy.

Munich brings chilly association to the minds of Central Europeans. It was here that the West – represented back then by France and the United Kingdom – chose to abandon democratic Czechoslovakia in the hope of appeasing fascist Germany in 1938.

As the subsequent tragic history shows, appeasing dictators does not work. Inevitably, appeasement leads to further demands and eventually armed conflict.

No sign of Biden reset in Munich

The Munich Security Conference, which has been ongoing since 1963, has always aimed to ease tensions in international relations and facilitate dialogue. In 2009, United States Vice-President Joe Biden chose this venue to announce the ‘reset’ in American-Russian relations.

Subscribe

Democratic security comes at a price. What is yours? By subscribing or donating now gain access to analysis, forecasts and scenarios by leading analysts and reporters who monitor democratic risks and develop policy debate from Central Europe on Central Europe.

MonthlyVAT included

€4/month

See all details

  • Full access to articles and reports
  • Monthly foresights and risk analysis delivered by e-mail
  • Weekly newsletter with most important highlights
  • Visegrad Insight social media community groups invitation

AnnualVAT included

€40/year

See all details

  • All monthly features PLUS…
  • Free invitation to one editorial board discussion to participate in deciding on the future direction of the Visegrad Insight
  • Free delivery of two select hardcopies of Visegrad Insight reports

Student OR Donation

Choose your contribution

See all details

  • Full access to articles and reports
  • Monthly foresights, weekly newsletters, and risk analysis delivered by e-mail
  • Free invitation to one editorial board discussion to participate in deciding on the future direction of the Visegrad Insight (annual subscription only)

Can I receive an invoice?

Yes. You will receive a receipt immediately after purchase and a VAT invoice upon request. The subscription amount includes tax. In case of a donation, there is no tax.

Are my credit card details safe?

Yes. The payment is processed by STRIPE www.stripe.com entrusted also by Amazon, Zoom, Booking.com and used by other global NGOs and businesses in the world. We do not store your credit card details.

How modify or cancel my subscription?

At any moment you can manage your subscription and account details. Sign in to modify or cancel.

Marcin Zaborowski

Visegrad Insight Senior Fellow

Senior Fellow at Visegrad Insight and Editor-in-Chief of Res Publica Nowa. Future of Security Programme Director at Globsec. Former director of the Polish Institute of International Affairs and CEPA Warsaw office.

Newsletter

Weekly updates with our latest articles and the editorial commentary.