US Vice President JD Vance has expressed a concern that Europe’s greatest danger may be emerging from within its own borders, rather than from outside forces like Russia and China. During a thought-provoking presentation at the Munich Security Conference, Vance critiqued several recent incidents that, in his view, undermine democratic principles on the continent.
Vance pointed to several examples, including the cancellation of a recent election in Romania, the legal action against an anti-abortion protester in the UK, and the exclusion of extremist German politicians from attending the conference as indicative of a broader issue. “If you are afraid of your own electorate, America can’t help you,” he remarked. “The internal threat facing Europe, the deviation from its core values, is what concerns me the most.”
This speech came shortly after the Trump administration surprised European leaders by declaring its intention to engage with Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, on Wednesday, described the idea of reverting to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders before Russia’s annexation of Crimea as “unrealistic.”
In Munich later that week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cautioned the European Union against reacting with “outrage and outcry” to Trump’s proposals regarding Ukraine.
Vance’s address emphasized that Europe must embody the democratic values it often discusses and argued against imposing beliefs on people. He stated, “Across Europe, people are increasingly electing leaders who vow to put a stop to uncontrolled migration.”
He highlighted the dangers of ignoring public concerns: “Blocking citizens from the political process doesn’t safeguard democracy; it endangers it,” Vance warned.
The backdrop to this address included President Donald Trump’s announcement of plans for reciprocal tariffs, targeting the EU due to its imposition of VAT on exports.
