Vice President JD Vance announced Thursday that the US would consider sanctions and military action if Russia's Vladimir Putin refuses to end the nearly three-year war in Ukraine.
“There's an economic tool for leverage. Of course, there's a military leverage tool,” Vance told the Wall Street Journal.
If the Kremlin does not negotiate a settlement in good faith, the possibility of sending US troops to Ukraine is “on the table.”
Vance's comments stand in stark contrast to Defense Secretary Pete Hegses' remarks from Brussels on Wednesday.
Hegus argued that “all security guarantees” given to Ukraine must be “supported by competent and non-European troops” to prevent its return to war with Russia after the peace agreement. did.
The Secretary of Defense later told reporters that he would leave it to President Trump, “what concessions will be made and what concessions will not be made,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
Vance's remarks come a day before a critical meeting between Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky and the US delegation.
The conference is expected to center around ways to end the war.
“The president is not going to go to this blindfold,” Vance said of Trump's desire to mediate a deal between Kiev and Moscow. “He's going to say, 'It's all on the table, let's do a deal.' ”
Vance argued that Ukraine needs to maintain independence in either dealing with President Putin, but he remains controlled by the Kremlin how much of the territory of the country currently occupied by Russia. He refused to say anything.
“There are several formulations in the composition, but we are interested in Ukraine, which has sovereign independence,” the Vice President said.
Vance suggested that these details, as well as whether the US or European countries will provide security assurances to Kiev, would be resolved during peace talks.
He also informed Trump that he could decide to put things on the table or take them off, depending on how the negotiations go.
“President Trump can say, we don't want this, we may not like this, but if the Russians are not a good negotiation partner or there is something. If that's what we want to bring it back to the table, which is very important to Ukrainians who might want to take off the table,” Vance said.
Trump, 78, announced Wednesday that he and Putin agreed to begin talks “quickly” to end the war.
“[W]The president posted to the Truth Society and wants to stop millions of deaths in the war with Russia/Ukraine.
On Thursday, Trump told reporters that Ukraine will become a party to talk to Russia (Zelensky's sticking point), but also expressed his desire to bring Russia back to the G-7.
