US Vice President JD Vance delivered a fiery 19-minute speech at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, leaving European leaders stunned and igniting controversy over Washington’s foreign policy direction. In a departure from expected topics, Mr. Vance barely mentioned Russia and instead accused European nations of stifling free speech, a move some critics say is an attempt to “pick a fight” with US allies.
Vance’s Speech: A Shift in US Priorities?
During his speech, Mr. Vance declared that Europe faced a greater threat from within than from external adversaries like Russia or China.
“The threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China … what I worry about is the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values … shared with the United States of America,” he stated, addressing a bewildered audience.
Rather than focusing on security threats posed by Moscow, Mr. Vance criticized European governments for curbing free expression. He cited incidents such as the arrest of a UK citizen for praying near an abortion clinic and the prosecution of a man in Sweden for burning the Koran. European officials, however, deny that such measures infringe on free speech.
Meeting with Far-Right Leaders
Adding to the controversy, Mr. Vance later met with Alice Weidel, the leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party. The meeting, reported by German broadcaster ZDF, is expected to be a significant boost for the AfD, which is currently polling in second place ahead of upcoming elections. Other German parties have pledged a “firewall” against the AfD to prevent it from gaining political influence.
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During his speech, Mr. Vance also appeared to defend Elon Musk, who has been openly supportive of far-right European parties, including the AfD.
“If American democracy can survive 10 years of Greta Thunberg’s scolding, you guys can survive a few months of Elon Musk,” he quipped, though his attempt at humor was met with silence from the audience.
Concerns Over US Policy on Ukraine and NATO
The speech comes at a tense moment in US-European relations. Mr. Vance’s remarks followed US President Donald Trump’s revelation that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin to initiate Ukraine peace talks—an announcement that has alarmed leaders in Kyiv and across Europe. Many fear that any deal negotiated by Washington could sideline Ukraine, embolden Moscow, and allow Russia to regroup for future conflicts.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth added to concerns earlier this week when he publicly stated that Ukraine would not join NATO, US troops would not deploy to Ukraine, and Kyiv must accept that it cannot regain all its lost territories. Critics argue that these statements weaken NATO’s bargaining position ahead of negotiations with Russia.
While Mr. Vance did acknowledge that the US had “economic and military tools of leverage” to pressure Russia, his failure to focus on security concerns left many European leaders frustrated.
European Backlash
The response from European officials was swift and critical. EU foreign policy chief and former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas lamented that Mr. Vance’s speech seemed more focused on ideological disputes than on Russia’s immediate threat.
“Listening to that speech, [the Americans] try to pick a fight with us, and we don’t want to pick a fight with our friends,” she said.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius criticized Mr. Vance for drawing false comparisons between European democracies and authoritarian regimes, calling it “not acceptable.”
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt was even more direct, describing the speech as “worse than expected.”
“At best, it was totally irrelevant to European or global security concerns,” he said. “At worst, it was blatant interference in the German election campaign in favor of the far-right AfD.”
Zelensky’s Warning: Russia Prepares for NATO War
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used his time at the conference to warn that Russia could be preparing for war against NATO as early as next year. He cited intelligence reports suggesting Moscow could deploy up to 150,000 troops in Belarus, a move he believes could signal an attack not just on Ukraine but on Poland or the Baltic states.
“I think that [Putin] is preparing the war against NATO countries next year,” Mr. Zelensky warned. “God bless we will stop this crazy guy.”
A Changing US-Europe Dynamic
With the Trump administration signaling a possible pivot in its European policy, the Munich conference has highlighted growing tensions between the US and its traditional allies. Mr. Vance’s speech, coupled with his meeting with AfD leaders, suggests a shift that could have lasting implications for NATO, the war in Ukraine, and transatlantic relations as a whole.
