Ewald von Kleist Prize awarded to Ukrainian people

For the first time, the von Kleist Prize of the Munich Security Conference will be awarded not to an individual, but to an entire nation – the Ukrainian people, announced Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksiy Makeyev.

"Now it's official: the Ewald von Kleist Prize has been awarded to the Ukrainian people," Makeyev wrote on the social network X on Monday.

He also expressed gratitude to the Munich Security Conference and its head, Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, "for their clear position" and cited Ischinger's statements at a press conference in Berlin: "Russia, while pretending to be ready for negotiations, is simultaneously terrorizing the Ukrainian civilian population."

The 62nd Munich Security Conference will be held in Munich from February 13 to February 15, 2026. It will be attended by approximately 200 high-ranking officials, including heads of state, from nearly 120 countries.

Ewald von Kleist was the founder and defining figure of the Munich Security Conference. He chaired the influential forum for over 30 years and played a key role in advancing transatlantic security dialogue and bringing post-war Germany into NATO. Until his death in 2013, Kleist remained active in security affairs and a regular participant in the MSC. The Ewald von Kleist Prize, established before his death, recognizes individuals who have made a special contribution to "the cause of peace and conflict resolution."