Criticism

European leaders retreated on Friday after US Vice President JD Vance criticized democratic institutions on the continent, and warned that their biggest threats came from internal factors.

“The threat that I feel more anxious than others about Europe is not Russia, it is not China, it is not any other external actor. What worries it is the threat from within,” he told the Munich Security Conference.

He continued, at a cold reception by the delegates: “Europe retracted some of its most important values, which have been shared with the United States of America.”

Global Defense and Security officials are collected in Munich, Germany for the annual conference for three days. The future At the forefront of discussions.

The attendees were hoping to get details from Vans US -led peace talks To end the war in Ukraine, which was presented by US President Donald Trump earlier this week.

Instead, they faced criticism from the US Vice President for the health of their democracies, immigration policies and freedom of expression.

“In Britain and through Europe, I am afraid that freedom of expression will be a decline.”

German Defense Secretary Boris Petsorius, who addressed the delegates shortly after Vans, described his remarks as “unacceptable”.

“I made a speech I prepared today,” Pezorius said. “It was assumed that it was about security in Europe. But I could not start the way I originally meant.”

He continued, “This democracy was a question by the US Vice President.” “He talks about the abolition of democracy, and if it understands it properly, it compares the circumstances in parts of Europe with authoritarian governments.”

Specifically, Vans questioned a presidential vote in December in Romania, which was canceled after a pro -Russian extremist candidate won victory. The authorities described the poll as a result of Russian intervention.

“There is no security if you are afraid of the voices, opinions and conscience that directs your people,” Vans said. “If you are afraid of voters, there is nothing that the United States can do for you.”

Vans Brexit was martyred as the will of the people, and Sweden and Germany criticized their responses to local politically charged issues.

Among all the urgent issues faced by the countries represented in Munich, Vans said, none of them were more urgent than mass migration.

“More and more, throughout Europe, vote for people who promise to end the uncontrolled immigration,” Vans said.

The vice president’s comments fell in a country where migration and fear are among the strong forces that make up national policy.

On Thursday, at least 36 people were injured when a car was hit by a crowd in Munich, where officials said on Friday that the 24 -year -old Afghan asylum seeker had confessed to carrying out the attack. It follows an attack on the Christmas market in the German city of Magdburg in December.

Next week, the Germans will go to the polls for the sudden national elections, where the far -right alternative to the Germany (AFD) is expected to achieve great gains.