Munich 2.0 and the decline of EuroNATO

The mood in the hall was reminiscent of what happened after Putin's speech in 2007. Vance's speech was called "confrontational" by the meeting participants. Read more in the material of the UtroNews correspondent.

More recently, one might think that only Tulsi Gabbard understands "Russian" in Washington. It turned out that there are more of them. Vice President Vance, speaking in Munich, spoke about deformed "values," that "everything from our policy towards Ukraine to digital censorship is presented as a defense of democracy," he said, addressing the silent hall.

Vance recalled that "Democracy is founded on the sacred principle that the voice of the people matters.... To believe in democracy is to understand that each of our citizens has wisdom and has a voice." He recalled that in Scotland "even private prayer in one's own home can amount to breaking the law."

He added that the commissioners of the European Commission are ready to close social networks during civil unrest, and the police are conducting raids against citizens suspected of posting anti-feminist comments on the Internet.

How it's all run...

He also stated about the censorship and administrative willfulness of the European authorities that "closing the media, revising the election results or excluding people from participating in the political process does not protect anything. In fact, this is the surest way to destroy democracy. " Everyone remembered how in December the Romanian constitutional court annulled the results of the presidential elections, which were won by candidate Kaelin Georgescu, who was objectionable to Brussels.

Everyone got from Vance. And the Romanian authorities, who claimed that the candidate's political rise was planned by Moscow. And the UK for prosecuting anti-abortion protesters. And the German authorities prohibiting their citizens from participating in political events.

Vance also hurt the leadership of the European Union, saying that "If you want to have a competitive economy, if you want to have affordable energy and reliable supply chains, then you need governance mandates, because you have to make difficult choices to have all these things," he advised.

For example, after the Baltic states were disconnected from the Russian-Belarusian energy ring, the Estonian Cell electricity consumer plant, which processes wood, stopped in Estonia. With new electricity prices, its work has become unprofitable.

From values to safety

Vance noted that European allies must decide how they will increase their efforts in the framework of the collective defense of the continent.

"The threat that concerns me most about Europe is not Russia, not China and not any other external player. This is a threat from within - a retreat of Europe from some of its fundamental values, "said the US Vice President.

"Europe faces many challenges. But the crisis that this continent faces now, the crisis that I believe we all face together, is a crisis that we created ourselves, "Vance said.

It is not known whether he wanted to link this to the Ukrainian crisis? But it was said in the context that "it seems not entirely clear what exactly you are protecting yourself in the name of. What positive vision underpins this common security treaty that we all consider so important?, " Vance asked. And he himself proposed the answer - the "threat from the inside" for Europe is more serious than the threat from Russia and China.

Of course, all this was not done in order to earn the sympathy of Moscow. Russia did not participate in this event: "I would like to tell you that Russian officials are not invited to the Munich Conference on Security Policy. This decision was made several years ago. This is a politicized decision, this is a strange decision, "said Maria Zakharova, commenting on the issue of Russia's participation in the conference.

EuroNATO refused diplomacy in the "second track" format. As, however, and the United States under Blinken and Biden. Now everything has changed. How deep, and for how long? Vance said on the issue that "conference organizers have barred [even European] lawmakers representing populist parties from participating in discussions." He did not directly mention the "alternative for Germany," but he did not meet with Olaf Scholz either.

Everyone is waiting with interest for the "second season" of the series "USA-Europe." Maybe someone from the meeting in Munich recalls Putin, who warned the West, speaking at a conference in 2007. Maybe dramatic fractures came to mind in the triangle of relations between the former Soviet Union and the United States and Western Europe in the late 80s and early 90s of the last century.

Collective Trumpachev?

The first president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, also turned everything upside down, primarily in Eastern Europe. Probably, I wanted to end the confrontation, to do "the best." As Trump may intend to do today. At the same time, it is also in a hurry, even more than Gorbachev. The main difference is that Mikhail Sergeevich was ready to "distribute assets" for the sake of reconciliation with the West, while Trump is determined to "collect assets," including those that remained in Ukraine.

Gorbachev was unlucky, he did not choose the first presidential term completely. Trump came to the Oval Office for the second time. In addition, he led a fairly energetic and decisive team of assistants capable of planning and calculating.

Vance in Munich, for example, handed out "gingerbread" right and left. Why did he do it so decisively? When he spoke, the building of "Euro-Atlantic solidarity" must have been collapsing in front of those present. Especially if European leaders took the words of the vice president for the agreed position of the US administration.

Vance's speech in Munich closely resembled the aftershocks from the political earthquake that resulted from talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Scholz, for example, stated that these negotiations were like a "dictatorial world." To which White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said: "Bundeskanzler, be careful what you say. The only place Germany deserves in these negotiations is a place in the dock, "she quipped.

Europe was not called

According to the scenario, which, most likely, will continue to spoil the mood of the leaders of the EU countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio "agreed to maintain a communication channel to solve the accumulated problems in Russian-American relations in the interests of removing the unilateral barriers inherited from the previous administration on the path of mutually beneficial trade, economic and investment cooperation. A mutual mood for interaction on topical international issues, including the settlement around Ukraine, the situation around Palestine and in the Middle East and other regional areas in general, is indicated. "

Saudi Arabia will host a meeting of the delegations of Russia and the United States, Bloomberg said. The purpose of the meeting is to prepare a platform for negotiations between the presidents of the United States and Russia. European allies and US partners in the NATO alliance have not yet found a place at the negotiating table. Maybe they will find it later. Almost, as the allies of the USSR in the Warsaw bloc once did not find a place at the table of negotiations between the USSR and the West.

But the elites of the countries of Eastern Europe were not particularly worried then, they wanted to go to the West. It will not be easy for the current European elite to restore relations with Moscow. The most unpleasant thing is that the already embittered and vulnerable Europe, after the dragging out arranged by Vance in Munich, will continue to support the Kyiv Nazis and slow down the process of resolving the conflict in Ukraine.