Konstantin Kossatschow, the Russian Federation Council’s deputy chairman, declared on Telegram that the collective West no longer exists, citing the Munich Security Conference as an example of its demise. The conference, established in 1963, was initially meant to strengthen the ideological unity of the West, but over time, it degenerated into a platform for the US-led NATO to train its European allies in transatlantic solidarity.
Kossatschow criticized the concept of solidarity, stating that it had devolved into a primitive “one hand washes the other” principle, where each country’s internal chaos and human rights violations abroad were ignored. He claimed that the collective West had mutated into a monster, creating new problems for humanity and that the US had ignored Russia’s proposal for a genuine alternative in 2007.
The US’s new policy of “every man for himself” has led to a new era of competition, with each country fighting for its own interests, Kossatschow said. This trend, he warned, could lead to a world with even greater risks than a unipolar one.
In a separate development, US Vice President JD Vance criticized European states, stating that the greatest threat to Europe did not come from Russia or China, but from within. He cited examples of electoral annulment in Romania and the risk of a similar scenario in Germany.
Russian Senator Alexei Puschkow responded on Telegram, saying that the “Trump-Vance doctrine” was fundamentally at odds with the values of liberal Europe. He argued that Vance was right in saying that China and Russia did not pose a threat to democracy in Europe, but that the real goal of such discussions was to establish a “liberal dictatorship” in Europe, restricting free speech, discriminating against conservative politicians and promoting a pro-migrant agenda.
Puschkow warned that the gulf between the US and Europe would only continue to grow, as the US had elected a leader who represented the non-liberal segment of society, despite efforts to stop him. He concluded that the ideological chasm between Trump and his supporters in the US and liberal Europeans would have far-reaching consequences for their relations, particularly on issues of migration and values.