Munich not only hosted a security conference on Saturday, it was also the focus of several anti-war demonstrations.
Around 10,000 protesters gathered at the southern German city’s Königsplatz – one of more than a dozen demonstrations across the city that brought together anti-NATO protesters, pacifists and pro-Kurdish activists.
Meanwhile, at the Odeon Plaza, a pro-Ukraine demonstration was held, calling for more military aid and international support for the war-torn country.
The protests come after two days of talks at the Munich Security Conference, where European leaders and security experts pledged to step up support for Ukraine as it battles Russian troops.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he believed it was not the right time to open talks with Moscow.
“It is not time for dialogue because we have a Russia that has chosen war, that has chosen to intensify the war and that has chosen to go as far as committing war crimes and attacking civilian infrastructure,” he said.
While insisting he did not want to see a protracted war, he said France was ready for a “protracted conflict”.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that German support for Kiev was “designed to last” and urged allies to speed up deliveries of heavy tanks promised to Ukraine.