Munich Young Leaders Alumni gathered in Tallinn for Annual Meeting

From September 1 to 3, 2022, around 50 Munich Young Leaders — alumni and members of the current cohort of 2022 — gathered in Tallinn for their Annual Meeting. The official program started with a Welcome Reception at the Residence of the German Ambassador in Estonia, where Permanent Representative Mario Sauder, Chairman of the MSC Ambassador Christoph Heusgen and Nora Müller, Executive Director of International Affairs at Körber-Stiftung, welcomed the Young Leaders.

In their opening remarks, Ambassador Heusgen and Nora Müller reaffirmed the commitment of the MSC and Körber-Stiftung to foster an intergenerational exchange in foreign and security policy by creating a dialogue between young leaders and experienced decision-makers. Moreover, they emphasized the strength of the network in bringing together excellent young minds from diverse backgrounds especially in difficult times and highlighted the many ways in which Russia's invasion of Ukraine has affected members of the network since February 24.

Discussions in the Riigikogu: European & Energy Security

On September 2, the MYL visited the Riigikogu, the Estonian Parliament, and participated in several discussion sessions. Prime Minister Kaja Kallas joined the group as the opening speaker for a conversation on European security and Estonia's role as a key supporter of Ukraine against Russia's war of aggression. She reminded the MYL that "Russia's interest is to divide us, not only the European countries, but also our societies" while stressing that "Europe's unity has been a negative surprise for Russia." In her conversation with the MYL, she urged them not only to look at the conventional war, but beyond: "we must not forget that there is also a hybrid war, a cyber war, and a war of information taking place simultaneously.(…) information is used as a weapon to fuel hatred and separation."

The program continued with a panel discussion titled "Facing New Realities: The Current State of European Security." Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the Estonian Parliament, joined the panel with several MYLs, which focused especially on Europe's response to Russia's attack on Ukraine as well as the short- and long-term effects of Russia's war of aggression on Europe's security architecture.

The second discussion session at Riigikogu focused on energy security ahead of a challenging winter for Europe. The debate zoomed in on the challenges for Europe's energy infrastructure and the consequences of Europe's pivot away from Russian fossil fuels for the global energy market, while also reflecting on the need to achieve the climate targets and international efforts for advancing the energy transition.

Discussion: "Battle of the Bits: Improving International Cooperation on Cyber Security"

Following a Walk & Talk through Tallinn that the Munich Young Leaders used for informal discussions and to explore the Hanseatic town, a panel discussion was hosted later that day at the Vabamu Museum of Occupations. Under the title "Battle of the Bits: Improving International Cooperation on Cyber Security", former President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid joined several Munich Young Leaders to discuss the role of cyber-attacks in the Russian war against Ukraine as well as the wider developments and need for closer international cooperation on technology and cyber security. The panelists stressed the need for further collective action given that countries were currently mainly operating on a case to case and ad hoc basis. The discussion also focused on threats emanating from online hate speech – especially aimed towards women - , the interference of states in other nations' digital territory, and the need to raise awareness for cyber security issues by comprehensively explaining it to the broader public.

Excursion to Tapa Military Base: NATO's Eastern Flank 

On the last day of the Munich Young Leaders Annual Meeting, the group went on an excursion to the Tapa Military Base, the largest military base in Estonia, to meet with representatives of the Estonian military as well as with forces of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence. Kristjan Mäe, Director of Policy Planning at the Estonian Ministry of Defence, engaged in a panel discussion with several Munich Young Leaders on deterrence and securing NATO’s Eastern Flank. The discussion was complemented by practical insights from the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces at the Tapa Military Base.