Scholz angered by JD Vance’s ‘interference’ in Germany’s election

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks foothold in talks over ending the war despite Washington's hostility to Europe

US Vice President JD Vance and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Munich Security Conference. Mr Scholz has urged the US to avoid interfering in upcoming elections after Mr Vance criticised Europe's approach to mass migration. AFP / ReutersShow less

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz challenged the US to resist the temptation to meddle in next week's elections, in a speech on Saturday that sought to pick up the pieces from a broadside against Europe from US Vice President JD Vance.

Not only did Mr Vance use the Munich Security Conference to condemn European mass migration, he also met Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party, nine days before a German election. US President Donald Trump called the speech brilliant and said he agreed with it even as it was reverberating across the European leadership.

“We will not accept outsiders interfering in our democracy, in our elections and in the democratic opinion-forming process in favour of this party,” Mr Scholz said on Saturday in Munich. “That’s just not done, certainly not amongst friends and allies. We resolutely reject this.

Watch: US Vice President JD Vance warns against silencing dissent

“Where our democracy goes from here is for us to decide.”

Mr Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy led the list of speakers on the second day of the annual security forum. “There will only be peace if Ukraine's sovereignty is secured,” Mr Scholz said. “A dictated peace will therefore never find our support.

“We will also not accept any solution that leads to a decoupling of European and American security. Only one person would benefit from this: President Putin.”

German chancellor Olaf Scholz pushes back against US picking favourites in the upcoming elections. (Photo by Johannes Simon / Getty Images)

Mr Zelenskyy hit out at Mr Trump's trust in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, predicting a betrayal would lead to the US leader standing in Red Square in May to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Mr Zelenskyy said not allowing his country into the Brussels-headquartered Nato was a first-order mistake.

“If not Brussels, then Moscow, that's your decision,” he said. “I will not take Nato membership off the table but right now the most powerful member of Nato is Putin because he is able to veto at his whim.”

Mr Zelenskyy wants a seat at the table, a demand that is backed up by the Europeans. Later this month marks the third anniversary of the war caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Zelenskyy said that his country wants security guarantees before any talks with Russia. Meeting Mr Vance in Munich, Mr Zelenskyy also said he would only meet Mr Putin after a common plan is negotiated with Mr Trump.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's President, at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Bloomberg

Mr Vance's broadside against European allies over the rise of immigration and the lack of space for extremist politicians questioned their democracies and raised questions about Washington's commitment to the region's defence.

“The threat that I worry the most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia. It's not China. It's not any other external actor,” Mr Vance said on Friday. “What I worry about is the threat from within – the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America.”

The future course of Ukraine's war against Russian's invasion has preoccupied delegates at the conference days after Mr Trump spoke by phone with Mr Putin to set up peace talks. The two leaders plan to meet to negotiate a peace deal in the months ahead.

Facing a general election next week that is likely to see a new chancellor take over, Mr Scholz added higher defence spending in Germany and Europe is necessary and the country's debt rules need an overhaul for that. “Anyone who claims that this can be saved by making a small cut here or there from the current budget is not telling the citizens the truth.”

Munich Security Conference – in pictures

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, left, chats with Steny Hoyer, US representative for Maryland's 5th congressional district, prior to a meeting between German diplomats and a US congressional delegation at the 61st Munich Security Conference on February 14 in Munich. Getty Images

High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk. AFP

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. AFP

Members of the media watch Mr Vance speak at the conference. Getty Images

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers her speech. AFP

Mr Vance meets German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and German President Frank Walter Steinmeier. Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives in Munich. AFP

Mr Steinmeier speaks during the conference. Getty Images

Munich Security Conference Chairman Christoph Heusgen speaks. EPA

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas delivers a statement. AFP

Mr Vance participates in a bilateral meeting with British Foreign Minister David Lammy. Reuters

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius delivers a press statement. AFP

Police check a vehicle outside the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich, where the conference is being held. AFP

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte meets Mr Vance. AFP

The conference's venue, the Bayerischer Hof hotel, was built at the request of Bavarian King Ludwig I in 1839. EPA

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to journalists travelling with him to the Munich Security Conference, after a mechanical issue forced his plane to return to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Reuters