Stephen Baskerville is always worth reading.  Here are his thoughts on the recent scolding of Europe delivered by VP Vance.

European leaders are tearing their hair out. Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are negotiating an end to the Ukraine war (and other matters) and leaving the Europeans out of the talks — effectively, leaving them high and dry. Adding insult to injury, US Vice President J.D. Vance then delivered a scathing condemndation of those leaders for their narcissism and authoritarianism and for betraying only Ukraine, but the very western values (like free speech) that they claim to be upholding. Vance made it clear that Europe is no longer relevant to global politics, security, or much of anything else.

So European leaders like Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer and above all Ursula von der Leyen are ranting and raving and reviving old pipedreams like building a European defense force in order to support Ukraine on their own — and to consolidate power in Paris, London, and Brussels. Having obsequiously followed the Americans into the war, these toadies are stuck with it and unable to follow the Americans out. (Reminiscent of East European puppet rulers refusing to accept the end of the Cold War?) READ MORE