Vance adopted a confrontational tone, accusing European politicians of what he said was a fear of their own people and warned them that the real threat against their democracy was not from Russia or China.

"The threat I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia, it's not China, it's not any other external actor. What I worry about is the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America," Vance said.

Instead, he said Brussels had shut down social media over hateful content, and criticized Germany for what he described as raids against its own citizens for posting anti-feminist comments, Sweden for convicting a Christian activist, and United Kingdom for backsliding on religious rights.

"If American democracy can survive 10 years of Greta Thunberg's scolding, you guys can survive a few months of Elon Musk," Vance said, downplaying a man currently threatening America's democracy, as well as that of Germany, and drawing a false equivalence between a climate activist and the world's richest man.

"Vance's attack on European democracy in Munich, perversely twisting the language of democracy itself should leave no doubt whatsoever that the aim of this administration is to destroy the EU and its liberal democracies," said Nathalie Tocci, director of Istituto Affari Internazionali think tank.

In Munich, Vance accuses European politicians of censoring free speech | Reuters

America goes to the Munich Security Council, spends the entire time attacking Europe, not a single criticism towards Russia.

I couldn't let what he really said about the democracies in Europe and Germany go unchallenged. There is no freedom of opinion here, minority opinions are suppressed - I couldn't possibly let that go unchallenged. Friends have to put up with one side expressing criticism that is wrong and the other side then countering it

It was a speech that I hadn't expected in this way, and one that didn't really fit in, to put it bluntly. It is the Munich Security Conference. He said little about Ukraine, Russia, the threats we are facing, and little about the security and defense policy of NATO and Europe. I would have liked more. That didn't happen. I would also like to ask him why he did this other part. It was neither necessary nor helpful. And that's why we should quickly get back to the agenda or, rather, back to work.

But it must be clear, no matter what is negotiated there: It was certainly not a smart move to take the issue of Ukraine's NATO membership off the table before the negotiations - nor the issue of territorial changes. You don't do that, it's not smart. Especially as Putin is now getting two things that were particularly important to him before the war began. Now he's getting them for nothing. That is a mistake.

It cannot be in our European interest, nor in the American interest, for Putin to emerge victorious from this war, which he started in violation of international law, or even to claim that he is the victor. That would increase Putin's influence in Europe and the threat potential at the same time - and the Americans would then lose influence. That cannot be in their interests.

Pistorius on Vance: "I couldn't let that go unchallenged" | tagesschau.de

US Vice President J.D. Vance met with AfD leader Alice Weidel in the afternoon after his speech at the Munich Security Conference. They spoke for about 30 minutes. About the Ukraine war & German domestic politics - including firewall.

He didn't meet with Scholz but did meet with the Nazi Party that is pro-Russia.

About once every half-million years, Earth's magnetic poles switch. After day 1 of #MSC2025, I can't think of a better metaphor for the European politics of the transatlantic alliance: everything is reversing.

— Jeremy Cliffe (@jeremycliffe.bsky.social) 14 February 2025 at 21:01

🇪🇺 Commission chair v. der Leyen will ask the EU Council for the activation of the so-called escape clause which will allow member states to increase defence spending without falling foul of the EU's budgetary disciplines

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— François Heisbourg (@fheisbourg.bsky.social) 14 February 2025 at 13:34

"Appeasement at Munich: World Wars, Past and Possible"
The symmetry between Germany-Czechoslovakia in 1938 and Russia-Ukraine in 2022 is uncanny, and pausing for a moment on the resemblances might help us to take a broader view of today.
snyder.substack.com/p/appeasemen...

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— Timothy Snyder (@timothysnyder.bsky.social) 14 February 2025 at 16:14

Josh Rogin - Washington Post Intelligence: Multiple lawmakers here in Munich told me the U.S. Congressional delegation presented Zelensky with a piece of paper they wanted him to sign which would grant the U.S. rights to 50% of Ukraine’s future mineral reserves. Zelensky politely declined to sign it.

50% is fucking ridiculous.

World leaders expected clarity on Trump's peace plan for Ukraine. Instead, JD Vance scolded them on immigration and lectured them about censorship | Fortune

Ukraine Support Tracker Update: February 2022 - December 2024.

• Military Aid Totals (US vs Europe).
• Non-Military Aid Totals (US vs Europe).

• Aid by Type (European Breakdown)
• Aid by Total GDP % (European Breakdown)

• Breakdown by Month (Europe vs America)

• Total Aid Allocated vs Aid to be Allocated (Europe vs America)

3rd Annual Report - IFW

Ukraine Support Tracker | Kiel Institute

Zelensky has handled negotiations very well so far. Despite indirect extortion, he hasn’t caved to giving up resources for nothing and made it clear the US has no plan. The only way for Trump to achieve peace is through a fair agreement with guarantees for Ukraine

— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) 14 February 2025 at 18:47

The U.S. offering Ukraine a "deal" for 50% of its resources is insane. What does Ukraine even get? That’s not being discussed. And the optics? Ukraine, having aligned with the U.S., is now being strong-armed in plain sight—while the actual murderer Putler, watches. Disgraceful.

— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) 14 February 2025 at 18:37

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stood by earlier comments from the country’s president likening modern day Russia to Nazi Germany, adding the Kremlin had offended “the entire Italian nation” after a spokesperson blasted the comparison on Friday.

President Sergio Mattarella drew a parallel between the “wars of aggression” that prompted World War II and the “current Russian aggression against Ukraine” in a speech last week, saying “this was the project of the Third Reich in Europe.”

Kremlin spokesperson Maria Zakharova belatedly condemned the comparison on Friday, calling Mattarella’s comments “blasphemous inventions.”

Meloni shot back the same day, standing by Mattarella’s remarks.

“The insults of the spokeswoman … offend the entire Italian nation, which the head of state represents,” Meloni said. “I express my full solidarity, as well as that of the entire government, to President Mattarella, who has always firmly condemned the aggression perpetrated against Ukraine.”

Meloni: Russia ‘offended the entire Italian nation’ by rejecting Third Reich comparison – POLITICO

“I don’t know who wrote the speech,” Mr. Wicker said. “It is the kind of thing Tucker Carlson could have written — and Carlson is a fool.”

Senator Roger Wicker ‘Disturbed’ by Hegseth’s Comments About Ukraine - The New York Times

Oh no, Republicans are "concerned" again, who knows, maybe one day they'll move from "concerned" to "very concerned"

🇺🇸🇺🇦 "You are the ally I've waited for my whole life," – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham told Zelensky.

Speaking on a panel with the Ukrainian president, Graham praised Ukraine for using American weapons to "kick Russia’s ass."

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— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 14 February 2025 at 22:13

Graham: I love you Zelenskyy! You're an amazing ally! But I'll sit aside and say nothing as Trump completely backstabs you.

I assume Graham will be another "concerned" Republican.

❗️Putin is preparing to declare "victory" despite the real situation on the ground, says U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth. He also confirmed that Trump will take part in negotiations between Zelensky and Putin.

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— NOELREPORTS (@noelreports.com) 14 February 2025 at 18:12

Oh gee, I wonder why Putin is eager to claim victory, Lmfao.

This DUI hire needs to have his drinks checked.

At first I thought it was just Musk that was attacking Europe, but now it's Vance as well. This is starting to look like the US itself is de facto an adversary of Europe, which sandwiches us between the US and Russia. The Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022) seemed at the time like it might be a turning point in history, but now it's starting to look like we're right now entering a turning point of history, to which the invasion is just framing. This might not be all that notable in future history books outside Europe, but right now, this feels like a fairly huge development we're at. We need to act decisively, and some of that should also benefit Ukraine, since our interests align closely with Ukrainian interests.