Rutte described Vance's speech as "philosophical" and urged Europe to prioritize security.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte referred to the controversial speech by U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Friday, February 14, at the Munich Security Conference as "philosophical." He also urged Europe to "grow up" and take care of its own security.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing CNN.

In his speech, Vance accused European leaders of suppressing freedom of speech and refusing to collaborate with far-right parties in government, which German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius deemed "unacceptable."

"The Vice President delivered a more philosophical speech here, but he underscored the unity between the U.S. and Europe, emphasizing that we are truly one family, and he indeed hinted at our shared values of freedom of speech, democracy, and so on, which bind us together," Rutte stated.

Regarding NATO expenditures, the Secretary General acknowledged the U.S. dissatisfaction with their defense spending being higher than that of other Alliance members, stating that Europe must "grow up" and take responsibility for its own security.

Rutte also mentioned that senior American officials expressed to him the need to swiftly conclude the war in Ukraine.

"A final agreement on Ukraine must be a strong one... A weak agreement on Ukraine will have repercussions not only here in Europe and for NATO's collective security but also for China, which would then feel emboldened and capable of doing whatever it wants," he said.

It is worth noting that after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 14, JD Vance stated that the U.S. wants the war between Russia and Ukraine to end, but a lasting peace is necessary. This was the first meeting between Zelensky and Vance since Donald Trump took office in the U.S.

For more details on Vance's statements, read the RBK-Ukraine article.