February 15, 2026
China was largely absent from the core conversations at the 2026 Munich Security Conference. That, says Ian Bremmer, is telling.
In this Global Stage clip, Bremmer warns that in the AI space between the US and China, there is “literally zero trust.” No governance framework. No coordination. Only escalation and acceleration.
While tech companies are stepping in to promote the rule of law and cross-border alignment, geopolitical fragmentation risks pushing the world toward deeper decoupling and potentially a new kind of cold war.
Can technological alignment outpace political fragmentation?
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At the 62nd Munich Security Conference, Parag Khanna, founder and CEO of AlphaGeo, says globalization isn't dead, it's evolving. Speaking with GZERO’s Tony Maciulis, he explains that countries are forming flexible alliances that expand and shrink based on their interests. “You’d rather be in the tent...if it suits your interest than not in it,” Khanna notes, highlighting how the US, Europe, and Asia are adapting to shifting global priorities.
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When the US shift from defending the postwar rules-based order to challenging it, what kind of global system emerges? CFR President Michael Froman joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to discuss the global order under Trump's second term.
TODAY at 12 pm ET: Watch our Global Stage live premiere from the Munich Security Conference
Feb 13, 2026
Tune in today at 12pm ET/6pm CET for the live premiere of our Global Stage from the 2026 Munich Security Conference, where our panel of experts takes aim at the latest global security challenges. NY Times National Security Correspondent David Sanger moderates the discussion with Benedetta Berti, Secretary General, NATO Parliamentary Assembly; Ian Bremmer, President & Co-founder, Eurasia Group & GZERO Media; Dr. Wolfgang Dierker, Global Head of Government Affairs, SAP; and Brad Smith, Vice Chair & President, Microsoft.
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Alina Polyakova, President and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, warns that NATO faces a defining moment.
From the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference in Munich, Polyakova told GZERO's Tony Maciulis that the Arctic has become “an arena of incredible global competition,” with Russia and China expanding their ambitions. While President Trump’s focus reflects “the right instincts” on security, she argues allies must strike a mutual deal to secure the region together.
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