Europeans to respond to US at security conference amid Trump govt disruptions

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday shot back strongly in defence of his stance against the farright and said his country wont accept people who intervene in our democracy a day after US Vice President JD Vance scolded European leaders over their approach to democracyThe German leader spoke with just eight days before crucial elections in Germany with polls showing the farright Alternative for Germany party currently in secondEuropean leaders trying to make sense of a tough new line from Washington on issues including democracy and Ukraines future were set to express their reactions on Saturday as the Trump administration continues to upend transAtlantic conventions that have been in place since after World War IIGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were to speak on the second day of the Munich Security Conference a day after US Vice President JD Vance all but scolded European allies over democracy and raised questions about the US commitment to help Ukraines defense against Russian forcesUS President Donald Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week in which he said the two leaders would likely meet soon to negotiate a peace deal Trump later assured Zelenskyy that he too would have a seat at the table The war was sparked by Russias invasion of Ukraine three years agoAlready Friday the Ukrainian leader said that his country wants security guarantees before any talks with Russia Shortly before meeting with Vance in Munich Zelenskyy said he will only agree to meet inperson with Putin after a common plan is negotiated with TrumpAfter a 40minute meeting with Zelenskyy Vance said the Trump administration wants the war to endBeforehand Vance lectured European officials on free speech and illegal migration on the continent warning that they risk losing public support if they dont quickly change courseThe threat that I worry the most about visagravevis Europe is not Russia Its not China Its not any other external actor Vance said in a speech that drew a tepid response 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 AmericaOn the sidelines of the event Vance met with Alice Weidel coleader of the farright and antiimmigrant Alternative for Germany party nine days before a German electionMainstream German parties say they wont work with the party in a longstanding stance to shun the extreme right in a country scarred by NazismVance later headed back to WashingtonAmong other speakers set to take the dais in Munich were NATO chief Mark Rutte and foreign ministers from countries including Canada France Germany Saudi Arabia and from Syrias new governmentThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever