Ahead of the Munich Security Conference, US Vice President J.D. Vance has called for Germany to work with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. He emphasized the need for Europe to welcome the rise of anti-establishment politics, halt mass migration and curb “progressive politics.”
Vance further stated that he will demand a return to traditional values and an end to “migrant criminality.” He claimed that the fear of people’s own governments being afraid of their citizens is a major concern, citing the example of President Trump and himself.
Mainstream politicians, Vance argued, are employing a “Soviet vocabulary” to discredit opinions they do not share, using terms like “disinformation” and “false information.” He criticized the exclusion of right-wing parties from government formations, saying that many European friends have ignored the will of the voters.
Vance also downplayed the alleged Russian interference in the politics of Western democracies, saying it has been overemphasized in the US and Europe. He claimed that the refusal to control migration poses a much greater threat to democracy in these countries than any supposed Russian meddling.
In his expected speech at the Munich conference, Vance is expected to support Elon Musk, the billionaire businessman and Trump ally, who has been criticized by leading European politicians for his political activism in the continent.
Vance emphasized that Musk does not speak for Trump, but agrees with him on the need for European countries to stop accepting a large number of migrants from the Middle East, Africa and other regions. He criticized the criticism of Musk’s statements by European leaders, saying they have misjudged the businessman.
Regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Vance stated that the US would impose sanctions and potentially military measures if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree to a peace deal with Ukraine. The option of deploying US troops to Ukraine, if Russia does not engage in good-faith negotiations, remains on the table, he said.