There are now two key dates in the history of the Munich Security Conference: 2007 and 2025. Two editions in which two hostile speeches provoked a symmetrical shock on the defense and diplomatic elites gathered each year in the Bavarian capital; the first by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the second by US Vice President JD Vance.

In 2007, Putin, invited to Munich for the first time, stunned the West with a highly aggressive speech against the United States, which he accused of wanting to establish a unipolar order. In retrospect, it has been seen as one of the turning points of the post-Cold War era, Putin's first warning to the West.

On Friday, February 14, it was America, Europe's great ally, that turned against its partners, fracturing the West. "In Washington, there is a new sheriff in town," warned Donald Trump's vice president. He then launched into a virulent diatribe against European democracies, accusing them of stifling free speech and religious freedom.

In his view, the greatest threat to the Old Continent "is not Russia, it's not China," but "the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values." Vance repeatedly cited the annulment of Romania's presidential election following suspicions of Russian manipulation of the campaign in favor of a far-right candidate who came out on top. He dwelt at length on the arrest in the United Kingdom of a religious anti-abortion activist. He also denounced the "pressure" exerted by European governments on social media because of "so-called misinformation." "We shouldn't be afraid of our own people, even when they express views that disagree with their leadership," he added, to a cold reception in the hall.

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