Vance Says Russia ‘Asking for Too Much’ to End War with Ukraine
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that Russia is “asking for too much” to end its war against Ukraine, expressing growing frustration within the Trump administration as it struggles to move peace talks forward, The Gaze reports, citing Politico.
Speaking at the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, Vance emphasized that the United States is focusing on securing a long-term settlement after Moscow rejected Washington’s call for a 30-day ceasefire. Russia argued that a temporary pause would only give Ukraine time to regroup.
“The Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they’re asking for too much,” Vance said.
Despite the setback, the vice president said that the U.S. remains committed to facilitating dialogue between Ukraine and Russia.
“We would like both the Russians and the Ukrainians to actually agree on some basic guidelines for sitting down and talking to one another,” he said. “That is the next big step we’d like to take.”
Though representatives from Kyiv and Moscow have met separately with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia, no direct negotiations have taken place.
Russia has demanded that Ukraine abandon NATO aspirations, recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea and parts of the Donbas, prohibit European peacekeepers on its territory, and commit to preserving the Russian language — among other conditions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has consistently maintained that Ukraine needs binding security guarantees from Western allies to prevent future Russian aggression.
This isn’t Vance’s first appearance before the Munich Security community. In February, he sparked criticism for downplaying threats from Russia and China while accusing European leaders of suppressing free speech. His tone this week was more measured.
Read more on The Gaze: What lies behind Putin’s second so-called ceasefire