Foreign Minister Bettel attends the Milken Global Conference in Los Angeles

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, participated in the Milken Global Conference in Los Angeles on May 3–4, 2026.

Under the theme “Leading in a New Era,” this 29th edition brought together policymakers, representatives from the private and financial sectors, and representatives of international organizations.

On this occasion, the minister participated in several panel discussions, notably on Europe's competitiveness—including in the defense sector—as well as on the current international economic situation. (link to the session Tradewinds: Navigating Economic Uncertainty).

He stated: "Against a backdrop of economic and geopolitical uncertainty, dialogue and the pursuit of common goals are more essential than ever. Our strength has always been our ability to work together and foster pragmatic transatlantic partnerships. At the same time, we must strengthen European competitiveness by working more closely together, leveraging our complementary strengths, and building on a solid industrial and technological foundation, as well as high-level innovation ecosystems. In this context, Luxembourg remains a reliable and agile platform within the European Union, thanks to its economic openness, stability, and ability to make swift decisions."

On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Bettel met with Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange platform with a presence in Luxembourg.

He also visited Blue Origin’s Los Angeles office, which is dedicated to advancing the use of space resources. Blue Origin recently opened a European office in Luxembourg, which is set to become a strategic hub to support the company’s global supply chain and strengthen its cooperation with the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as other Luxembourgish and European institutional and industrial partners.

Press release from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defense, Cooperation, and Foreign Trade