From bro to foe – JD Vance’s Realpolitik meets EU World

U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s 19-and-a-half-minute speech at the recent Munich Security Conference has ignited a firestorm of controversy among European leaders and analysts.

In his address, Vance asserted that Europe’s primary threats are internal, citing issues like censorship and uncontrolled migration, rather than external factors such as Russia or China.

This perspective has led to intense debate over whether his remarks constitute a betrayal of Western unity, or at the very least, the ongoing unity of NATO.

Vance’s critique focused on what he perceives as Europe’s retreat from fundamental democratic values. He highlighted instances of alleged suppression of free speech and political dissent, suggesting that these internal challenges pose a greater risk to European stability than foreign adversaries.

Image: U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/jd-vance/

This stance has been met with strong rebukes from European officials. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius labelled Vance’s comments as “unacceptable,” emphasizing that such criticisms could undermine the transatlantic alliance.

Overall, the address was met by silence in the hall, and later denounced by several politicians at the conference, while several critics argue that Vance’s rhetoric aligns with narratives promoted by authoritarian regimes, potentially emboldening adversaries like Russia and China.

By focusing on internal divisions, they contend, Vance may inadvertently weaken the collective resolve of Western nations to address external threats.

This perspective suggests that his speech could be seen as a form of collusion, intentionally or not, with those seeking to destabilize the West.

According to ‘Nothing is worse than an inconclusive peace’ by Tim Bouverie writing in Engelsberg Ideas, “Although Putin’s armies have been making incremental gains for 18 months, there is no escaping the fact that the ‘special military operation’ has been a disaster for the Russian president.

Why reward him now with a peace deal made at Ukraine’s expense?  In fact, why undermine NATO?

Why send the strongest possible signal to the rest of the world that the United States, far from condemning acts of unprovoked international aggression, will, henceforth, side with the perpetrators of violence?”

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Afy5N-89i-s

Supporters of Vance on the other hand, however, assert that his remarks are a candid assessment of Europe’s current challenges.

They argue that addressing internal issues is crucial for the long-term health of Western democracies and that acknowledging these problems is a step toward genuine resilience.

So, while Vice President Vance’s speech has been interpreted by some as a betrayal of Western unity, others view it as a necessary critique aimed at fortifying democratic values.

Said the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas to the BBC, that Vance as “trying to pick a fight” with Europe, home to some of the US’s closest allies.”

As the BBS also noted, Vance’s address was “a departure from the usual security and defence discussions at the annual conference.”

However, the true impact of his remarks will depend on time and also how both European and American leaders navigate the ensuing discourse and whether they can find common ground in addressing both internal and external challenges.

Judging by the stern looks from those in the audience Vance called ‘commissars’, it may be some time before the EU and the US are breaking bread once again.

Image: JD as Thor / AI Generated by B. Miletic in Grok2.