Even though Secretary of State Antony Blinken's speech in Munich was less harsh than Vice President JD Vance's the previous year, European officials found his core message to be largely unchanged. There was a sense of relief about Blinken's more diplomatic tone. However, underlying this relief, European leaders recognized that the fundamental issues and concerns raised by Vance remained central to the US stance. The shift was perceived more as a difference in delivery rather than a substantial alteration in policy direction.