Bilderberg Meeting 2025 Convenes in Sweden Amid Rising Global Tensions and Tech-Military Convergence

A Swedish police vehicle is parked outside the Grand Hotel during the Bilderberg meeting in Stockholm

The 2025 Bilderberg Meeting is underway in Sweden, bringing together powerful political, military, corporate, and technological leaders under a veil of secrecy at a time of heightened geopolitical instability and rapid tech-military convergence.

Founded in 1954 to strengthen transatlantic relations between Europe and the United States, the annual conference offers a private forum for informal dialogue. This year’s summit takes place against the backdrop of intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran, a fractured global security order, and escalating technological competition, particularly with China.

The meeting organizers do not invite media, and delegates rarely speak about what has been discussed, triggering numerous conspiracy theories about their aims

Notable attendees this year include NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, US Army Europe and Africa Commander Christopher Donahue, Palantir CEO Alex Karp, Helsing co-founder Gundbert Scherf, and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek. Former NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg now chairs the Bilderberg Steering Committee, alongside economist and Publicis board member Marie-Josée Kravis.

Stoltenberg, who played a key role in NATO’s military expansion following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is expected to guide the discussions with a focus on security, military innovation, and transatlantic resilience. Under his tenure, NATO saw its largest defense buildup in a generation—an agenda echoed in this year’s conference topics, which include defense innovation, critical raw materials, and energy geopolitics.

Canadian Prime minister Mark Carney attends Bilderberg in 2019, when he was the Governor of the Bank of England discussing 'The Future of Capitalism' with other bank bosses

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is expected to address the forum on Sweden’s and the EU’s competitiveness, as well as Stockholm’s continued support for Ukraine. Intelligence and military agency leaders have historically attended the event, which is known for high-level but off-the-record exchanges.

The event remains closed to the media and does not produce public resolutions, final statements, or voting outcomes. Organizers defend this secrecy as essential for candid, trust-based discussions, though it has fueled widespread conspiracy theories about global governance and elite manipulation.

The former US Army general and CIA boss turned Wall Street financier, David Petraeus, arrives at the 2019 meeting after a long-haul flight in comfortable travel wear

Among those stoking growing curiosity and concern is former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who also sits on Bilderberg’s board. Schmidt has recently warned that a superintelligent artificial intelligence could be developed within five years, cautioning that China may outpace the U.S. in this domain. “The geopolitical stakes, especially in the race with China, are enormous,” he said.

Bilderberg insider Nadia Schadlow, a former U.S. deputy national security adviser, emphasized ahead of the meeting that a new authoritarian axis is emerging, citing increased coordination among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. These threats, along with challenges to democratic systems and economic cooperation, are believed to have dominated the four-day summit.

Henry Kissinger at the 2023 Bilderberg meeting in Lisbon, the last before his death later that year

The growing presence of defense-tech executives further indicates a realignment of priorities. Peter Thiel, the influential co-founder of Palantir and defense startup Anduril, is among the participants. His dual influence in military technology and conservative politics, including ties to former President Donald Trump, symbolizes the convergence of private innovation and state security interests at Bilderberg.

Palantir’s battlefield software has played a key role in Ukraine’s military operations, while Anduril continues to develop AI-driven defense systems, including autonomous drones. Thiel’s companies have seen financial gains from increased military spending—a trend mirrored by other Bilderberg participants in the defense and surveillance sectors.

Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg took over as co-chair of The Bilderberg Group last year

The shadowy nature of Bilderberg meetings has long attracted suspicion, but experts argue that while the group holds significant influence in shaping the broad global agenda, it is far from a clandestine world government. “They aim to shape policy directions, but their power is not absolute,” said Christina Garsten, a professor at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study.

This year’s agenda, shaped by the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions in the Middle East, and the AI arms race, underscores a growing fusion of tech elites, military leadership, and political strategists—all operating behind closed doors.