Pakistan defense chief meets Rubio at Munich security conference

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s chief of army staff and chief of defense staff, met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a visit to Germany this week, according to the military’s media wing.

Munir visited Germany from Feb. 12 to 14 to attend meetings on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The conference describes itself as the world’s leading forum for debating international security policy and brings together senior government officials, military leaders and representatives from industry, academia and civil society.

ISPR said Munir held discussions with several international dignitaries on global and regional security developments and counterterrorism cooperation.

During his meeting with Rubio, the two sides exchanged views on evolving geopolitical developments and explored avenues for enhanced collaboration in security and counterterrorism, the statement said.

As part of his engagements with German leadership, Munir met Alexander Dobrindt, Germany’s federal interior minister; Günter Sautter, foreign and security policy adviser to the German chancellor; and Carsten Breuer, chief of defense of the Federal Armed Forces.

ISPR said the discussions focused on contemporary security challenges, bilateral defense cooperation and the importance of global peace and stability through bilateral and multilateral dialogue.

Munir also met Renato Rodrigues de Aguiar Freire, chief of the joint staff of the Brazilian armed forces, to discuss prospects for strengthening bilateral military cooperation, according to the statement.

Separately, Rodolph Haykal, commander of the Lebanese armed forces, called on Munir. The two military leaders exchanged views on the regional and global security environment and discussed measures to enhance defense collaboration, ISPR said.

The military said the visit reflected Pakistan’s engagement with international partners on shared security challenges and efforts to contribute to global peace and stability.

Pakistan announced last month that it would join a global body formed by U.S. President Donald Trump to resolve conflicts worldwide and promote international peace, particularly in Gaza.

Islamabad has credited Trump with helping end a brief military confrontation between India and Pakistan last year after Washington brokered a ceasefire between the two neighbors.

Since mid-2025, Pakistan and the United States have increased diplomatic contacts, including meetings involving Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s military leadership and U.S. officials, alongside bilateral discussions on trade, minerals, security cooperation and regional stability.

In July 2025, Islamabad and Washington agreed to a bilateral trade deal that included reciprocal tariff reductions and frameworks for U.S. investment in Pakistan’s energy and mineral sectors, a move Pakistan has described as opening new avenues for economic collaboration.