As securocrats, defense chiefs and country leaders all descend on Bavaria this week for the annual Munich security conference,

what might they say and do to dampen down the contagious fires of conflict

burning around the world?

They asked me that question.

One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said well sir if we don't pay and

we're attacked by Russia will you protect us I said you didn't pay you're

delinquent he said yes let's say that happened no I would not protect you in fact I would

encourage them to do whatever the hell they want you got to pay you got to pay your

bills on everyone's lips will be Donald Trump's latest campaign Salvo,

which has shaken confidence in America's commitment to the Atlantic Defense Alliance.

Wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and the crisis in the Red Sea also top

the agenda.

Welcome to Power Play from Politico. I'm Anne McElvoy and later this week I too will be in Munich

talking to some of the most powerful players in the worlds of security and defence and we'll be bringing you a special episode as the

conference reaches its climax at the weekend. But first we've assembled two of

Politco's heavy hitters to chew the fat as it gets underway. Alexander Ward is National Security

reporter and anchor of National Security Daily in Washington, D.C. and from Brussels,

Suzanne Lynch, author of the Global Playbook, which will also be coming to your inbox each morning from Munich.

Alex and Suzanne as you pack to set off for Bavaria.

Welcome to Power Play. Great to be with you. Yeah, thanks for having us.

So let's start with those incendiary comments from Donald Trump at the weekend that he would encourage, as he put it, Russia to attack any NATO

member that didn't pay enough for defence. Now that sparked outrage across Europe.

...