Protesting Military Convention: Landeuro Sparks Controversy Among Generals in Public Demonstrations
The Landeuro international military conference, hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA), took place at the Rhein-Main Congress Center in Wiesbaden, Germany, from July 16 to 17, 2025. The conference, which is a premier symposium and exhibition focused on land forces in Europe, aimed to integrate industry, the U.S. Army, and allies to enhance global deterrence and address future security challenges, particularly in the context of Russia's ongoing aggression in Ukraine.
The event featured keynote speeches and panels discussing critical security challenges, lessons from the war in Ukraine, and innovations in defense strategies. The conference's theme, "Transformation in Contact: Integrating Industry, the U.S. Army, and Allies for Global Deterrence," reflected its purpose.
Industry leaders, policymakers, and military experts gathered at the conference to discuss and align global defense strategies, emphasizing cooperation and readiness. The event included over 80 exhibits and Warrior’s Corner presentations, indicating a strong interest from the defense community.
Prominent figures such as NATO's Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska and Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov were present, underscoring the event's importance in global security discussions.
However, the conference was not without controversy. The Left Party in Hesse called for protests against the conference, criticising it for staging war as a business, ignoring social shortcomings, and cementing militarisation. Environmental groups and peace alliances also announced their participation in the protests.
The city of Wiesbaden, a central military hub with the U.S. headquarters for Europe and Africa, the 56th Artillery Command, and the NATO coordination center for Ukraine located there, responded to the protests with increased security measures while aiming to maintain a non-militaristic appearance. Local traffic was rerouted, and restricted zones were established during the conference.
The Rhein-Main Congress Center, where the conference took place, has proven to be successful after 100 days of operation, having hosted around 40 events and planning for 40 more in 2018. The center also hosted the 26th International Passive House Conference and the Energy Efficiency Forum, and will host MEXCON 2018 on June 20 and 21. MEXCON 2018 focuses on future topics, offering an exchange platform for associations, politics, business, and science.
Information on funding opportunities was available during the 26th International Passive House Conference. The Energy Efficiency Forum, part of the conference, aimed to promote energy efficiency and sustainable building practices.
The Landeuro conference, previously a U.S. format, was chosen as the location for the conference due to Wiesbaden's status as a central military hub. The conference is expected to continue to attract significant attention from international defense leaders and experts in the future.
- Amidst the Landeuro international military conference, conversations surrounding critical security challenges and innovations in defense strategies, particularly in the context of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, extended to discussions on political and general news topics, such as global defense strategies alignment and the role of industry leaders, policymakers, and military experts.
- Despite the focus on security and defense, the Landeuro conference also attracted controversy from groups advocating for social issues and environmental protection, who organized protests against the event, arguing that it was a business that staged war, ignored social shortcomings, and promoted militarization.
