U.S. vice president stirs debate with AfD meeting in Germany
For approximately 30 minutes, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and representatives of the far-right German group AfD were expected to converse at the hotel. The meeting caused quite a stir, as Germany is poised to select a new chancellor.
During the Munich Security Conference, J.D. Vance, U.S. Vice President, 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 participated 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 emphasised the need to cooperate with all parties, including the AfD, which sparked controversy.
The U.S. Vice President accused European leaders of restricting freedom of speech and democracy by not engaging with populist groups.
J.D. Vance met with the German far-right
The German government spokesperson, Steffen Hebestreit, criticised these statements, emphasising that interfering in the election campaign is unsuitable.
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 on cooperating with the AfD sparked a broad discussion on transatlantic relations and Germany's internal politics.
RND highlights that Vance's actions could influence future relations between the U.S. and Germany.
The Vice President's team emphasised in discussions with the media that Vance met with leaders of all major German parties. They recalled conversations with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the CDU's Friedrich Merz. A representative of Vance also indicated that there was a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
