U.S. Vice President JD Vance gave a stern warning to European leaders at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, threatening them with political repercussions if they ignore illegal migration. His speech, which only briefly mentioned the war between Russia and Ukraine, reflected the Trump administration’s shifting foreign policy strategy.
“If you’re running in fear of your own voters, there’s nothing America can do for you,” Vance told European officials, urging them to take action before losing public trust. He criticized policies that allowed “millions of unvetted immigrants” into the continent, referencing Thursday’s violent attack in Munich. The assault, which left over 30 individuals injured, was allegedly carried out by a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker who arrived in Germany in 2016 and is believed to have had an Islamic extremist motive.
The full speech of U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference.#USA #Europe #JDVance #Munich #MunichSecurityConference pic.twitter.com/9ONhYMSVtc
— Ulfh3dnar (@Ulfh3dnar_) February 14, 2025
Vance’s measured words, uttered with confident conviction, were given the cold shoulder by the crowd. But he insisted that the Trump administration would be defending free debate, whether it did or didn’t share the views taken by European leaders. “There is a new sheriff in Washington. And with Donald Trump at the helm, we will disagree with your position, but we will fight to preserve your right to present it in the public square,” he declared.
His later today scheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is much-awaited, with the continent of Europe watching with keen interest Trump’s plans to end the war. Since Trump’s telephonic talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin some time ago, speculation has grown over whether or not the American administration would be negotiating for a deal that can shift the war dynamics.
We believe we can come to a fair accommodation between Russia and Ukraine,” Vance said, questioning what sort of concessions such an agreement would entail.
