The Munich Security Conference, long a symbol of transatlantic unity, has become a stage for European unease as shifting U.S. foreign policy fuels uncertainty. Vice President JD Vance renewed calls for increased European defense spending, while questions persist over Washington’s commitment to Ukraine and the broader future of NATO.
US Vice-President Vance’s arrival at the Munich Security Conference this Friday has underscored the Trump administration’s insistence that NATO allies contribute more funds to their collective defence.
Meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Vance stressed the need for “burden-sharing” so that the United States could shift its focus toward challenges in South East Asia.
“We want to make sure that NATO is actually built for the future,” Vance told Rutte, while the NATO chief acknowledged Europe’s need to step up. “We have to grow up in that sense and spend much more," he said.
French president Macron warns against 'capitulation' in Ukraine peace deal
Earlier, France's Deputy Foreign Minister Benjamin Haddad framed Europe’s security predicament in stark terms, warning that the region must prepare for a post-American defence order.
“I think we’re not sufficiently grasping the extent to which our world is changing,” Haddad told broadcaster France Info, stressing that reliance on Washington for European security is no longer sustainable. “Both our competitors and our allies are busy accelerating”.
This comes as French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with the Financial Times that only Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky could negotiate on behalf of his country, warning against a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin that could have repercussions for the world.
With Trump reportedly linking US support for Ukraine to access to the country’s rare earth minerals, concerns are growing that American foreign policy is shifting steadily toward a more entrenched, self-interested position.
Security and Ukraine
While the need for greater European defence spending is a key theme, the most pressing issue in Munich remains the fate of Ukraine.
The opening of the three-day conference followed a phone call earlier in the week between Presidents Trump and Putin, in which the two leaders pledged to work toward ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Trump’s approach to resolving the conflict – potentially forcing Ukraine to cede Russian-occupied territory – has alarmed European leaders, who fear a settlement on Putin’s terms could embolden further aggression.
Adding to tensions, a Russian drone struck the protective shell of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, just hours before a scheduled meeting between Vance and Zelensky.
While no increase in radiation levels have been reported, Zelensky labeled the strike a “very clear greeting” from Russia to the Munich gathering.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed Ukraine’s accusations, and Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova criticised Moscow’s exclusion from the conference.
Nato chief Rutte insists Trump and Putin peace plan must include Ukraine
Europe reacts to Trump's 'diplomacy'
Trump’s handling of the Ukraine conflict has left European allies scrambling for answers.
His phone call with Putin – before engaging directly with Zelensky – has been widely interpreted as a diplomatic snub, while his public remarks suggest he views a Ukrainian territorial concessions as an inevitable part of any peace agreement.
“The Ukraine war has to end,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “Young people are being killed at levels that nobody’s seen since World War II. And it’s a ridiculous war”.
Trump has also expressed scepticism about Ukraine’s NATO aspirations, despite the alliance’s previous commitment to Ukraine’s eventual membership.
“I don’t see any way that a country in Russia’s position could allow them to join NATO,” he remarked, signalling a potential reversal of previous US policy.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, however, pushed back, stating that Ukraine “must be allowed to join NATO”.
While Vice President Vance assured that US military action against Russia remains an option if Putin refuses a negotiated settlement, European leaders remain unconvinced that Washington’s commitment to NATO’s eastern flank is as steadfast as it once was.
For Ukraine, the road ahead looks increasingly uncertain.
As Zelensky has made clear in Munich: “We cannot accept it, as an independent country, any agreements [made] without us."
(With newswires)
