By admin 
During a speech at the Munich Security Conference, U.S. Vice President JD Vance rebuked European democracies, asserting that internal issues, not external forces like Russia and China, pose the greatest threat to the continent. Contrary to expectations that he would discuss resolving the conflict in Ukraine, Vance instead accused European governments, including the UK, of abandoning their values and ignoring voter concerns about migration and free speech.
Vance’s criticisms included:
Accusations that the European Union suppresses free speech.
Claims that mass migration is the fault of European leaders.
Allegations that European leaders are retreating from fundamental values.
Condemnation of initiatives that limit discourse on social media platforms.
Admonishment of European nations to reconsider their resistance to collaborating with anti-immigration factions.
The speech was met with silence and later denounced by politicians, including German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who deemed Vance’s comments “unacceptable”. Pistorius directly addressed Vance, stating that democracy was called into question for the whole of Europe and that Vance was comparing conditions in parts of Europe with those in authoritarian regimes, which he found unacceptable6. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that Vance was “trying to pick a fight” with Europe.
Vance also referenced a legal case in the UK involving an army veteran convicted for silently praying outside an abortion clinic within a 150-meter safe zone, arguing that the “basic liberties of religious Britons, in particular” were under threat. He touched on Germany’s debate around mainstream parties maintaining a “firewall” against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, stating, “There’s no room for firewalls. You either uphold the principle or you don’t”. The AfD’s candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel, praised Vance’s speech and reportedly met with him afterward.
Vance referenced the annulled presidential election in Romania, which was targeted by Russian interference, stating, “If your democracy can be destroyed with a few $100,000 of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with”. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu affirmed his country’s commitment to democratic values and free and fair elections.
Despite the focus on European issues, Vance met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, with both sides describing the conversation as “fruitful” and emphasizing the need for further planning to end the conflict.
Gill Bikram Singh