U.S. VP's controversial meeting stirs German debate
For about 30 minutes, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and representatives of the far-right German group AfD were expected to talk at the hotel. The meeting caused a stir, as Germany is on the brink of choosing a new chancellor.
During the Munich Security Conference, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance held a meeting with Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD). According to the RND portal, the conversation took place at the hotel where Vance was staying and lasted approximately 30 minutes.
Vance's advisors and Weidel's spokesperson, Daniel Tapp, also took part in the meeting. The discussion focused on Russia's war against Ukraine and internal German politics, including the isolation of AfD.
In a conversation with "The Wall Street Journal," Vance emphasized the need to cooperate with all parties, including AfD, which sparked controversy.
The U.S. Vice President accused European leaders of restricting freedom of speech and democracy by not cooperating with populist groups.
J.D. Vance met with the German far-right
German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit criticized these statements, stressing that interference in the election campaign is not appropriate.
Markus Soeder, the leader of the CSU, rejected Vance's proposal for a coalition with the AfD, stating that coalition decisions are made independently. Vance's meeting with Weidel and his comments about cooperating with the AfD sparked a broad discussion on transatlantic relations and Germany's internal politics.
RND highlights that Vance's actions could affect future relations between the U.S. and Germany.
The Vice President's team emphasized in talks with the media that Vance met with leaders of all major German parties. They recalled conversations with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and CDU's Friedrich Merz. A representative of Vance also noted there was a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
