US Vice President JD Vance has come out swinging against European allies – not for how they manage their national security or for not enough defense spending, but for not listening to their citizens and suppressing voices they disagree with.

It had been expected that Vance would use his speech at the Munich Security Conference to address possible talks to end the war in Ukraine. Instead, he spent the majority accusing European governments - including the UK's - of retreating from their values, and ignoring voter concerns on migration and free speech.

The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday that a speech by U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security conference felt as if the United States was 'trying to pick a fight' with Europe.