Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that the Trump administration believes Russia’s opening peace proposal to end its war in Ukraine is “asking for too much,” but emphasized the United States remains committed to a long-term settlement that would end the deadly conflict.
Speaking at the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, D.C., Vance described ongoing diplomatic efforts to broker an end to the war launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin more than three years ago, while warning that Moscow’s initial demands were unacceptable.
“Certainly, the first peace offer that the Russians put on the table, our reaction to it was you’re asking for too much,” Vance told the audience. “But this is how negotiations unfold.”
Vance, who has become a key voice in the Trump administration’s foreign policy, did not detail Russia’s specific demands but noted the U.S. was seeking progress beyond short-term ceasefires and toward a more comprehensive settlement.
In March, U.S. and Ukrainian officials reportedly agreed to a potential 30-day ceasefire during discussions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. However, Vance said Moscow rejected the pause, claiming it did not serve their strategic interests.
“We’ve tried to move beyond the obsession with the 30-day ceasefire and focus more on what a long-term settlement would look like,” Vance said. “We’ve tried to consistently advance the ball.”
Despite expressing frustration with the stalled negotiations, Vance stressed that President Trump remains open to diplomacy but would walk away if talks stagnate. “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.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently suggested the Kremlin is open to a deal, telling CBS’s Face the Nation that there are “several signs that we are moving in the right direction.”
Still, tensions remain high. While Trump pledged to end the war if reelected and frequently claims he can secure a deal quickly, he has also lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him a “dictator without elections” and accusing him of prolonging the war by refusing to accept Russian control over Crimea.
However, Trump appeared to shift tone last month, posting on social media: “Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Despite public overtures, Russia has continued missile strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, further complicating any diplomatic breakthrough.
Analysts say both sides remain far apart on key issues — including territorial sovereignty, future NATO membership, and accountability for war crimes — though the Trump administration appears determined to press forward with negotiations.
Vance’s comments mark one of the administration’s clearest public signals yet that Washington is deeply engaged in brokering a peace deal, though the path forward remains uncertain.
