US VP JD Vance Urges Europe to Curb Illegal Migration at 61st Munich Security Conference in Germany

The 61st Munich Security Conference is underway in Munich, Germany. Speaking at the conference, US Vice President JD Vance called on Europe to do more to curb illegal migration, describing it as the continent’s most urgent challenge. He also urged countries in Europe to take responsibility for their own defence so that Washington could focus on threats elsewhere.

However, Mr. Vance did not touch upon the most expected subject of peace deal talks between Ukraine and Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union needed to drastically increase its defence spending and



suggested relaxing the bloc’s strict debt rules as one way to make such a surge possible.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the focus for European allies should be to make it clear what they can offer to ensure a possible peace deal between Russia and Ukraine lasts. Sixty heads of state and government are in attendance at the Munich Security Conference, which is regarded as the world’s most important forum for security policy. Key topics on the agenda include the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the crisis in Gaza, and the evolving dynamics of global security.