Vance cautions EU against 'civilizational suicide'

US Vice President J. D. Vance has expressed his desire for the “cradle of Christian civilization” to flourish amid concerns regarding Europe’s future.

In a recent Fox News interview, Vance warned that many European countries may be facing “civilizational suicide” due to lenient border control measures and limitations on free speech, a sentiment he previously shared at the Munich Security Conference last month.

He emphasized the strong cultural and religious connections between the US and Europe, stating that the continent epitomizes “the cradle of Western civilization,” which he believes is now under significant threat.

“The entire idea of Christian civilization that led to the founding of the United States of America was formed in Europe. The cultural bonds, the religious bonds – these things are going to last beyond political disagreements,” Vance remarked.

However, he cautioned that Europe, much like the US a year ago, risks engaging in “civilizational suicide.”

Vance pointed out that many countries have shown a reluctance or inability to manage their borders effectively, and the suppression of citizens' free speech when they protest issues such as illegal immigration poses critical dangers.

“They are unable or unwilling – too many countries – to control their borders… You see them starting to limit the free speech of their own citizens even as those citizens are protesting against things like the border invasion that got [US President] Donald Trump and a number of European leaders elected,” he explained. He hopes that European nations will begin to tackle these pressing matters.

Addressing concerns regarding potential strains in US-European relations due to his comments, Vance maintained that open discussions among allies are crucial.

“If you have a country like Germany, where you have another few million immigrants come in from countries that are totally culturally incompatible with Germany, then it doesn’t matter what I think about Europe,” he asserted.

He further warned that uncontrolled immigration within the EU could lead to repercussions for the US, as some individuals might eventually attempt to enter America.

“I want Europe to thrive. I want them to be an important ally. Part of that is going to be Europe respecting its own people, respecting its own sovereignty, and America can’t do that job for them,” Vance stated.

In his February speech at the Munich Security Conference, he criticized European leaders for succumbing to fears of their own voters and for failing to uphold democratic principles, all while censoring dissenting voices under the guise of combating “disinformation.”

“The threat that I worry the most about vis-à-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor… what I worry about is the threat from within,” Vance emphasized, a speech that Trump later praised as “very brilliant.”

Camille Lefevre contributed to this article for TROIB News