U.S. Vice President JD Vance has called for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, stating that a deal to end Moscow’s war on its neighbor may not be possible without such a format.
In remarks made on May 7, Vance said that Russia “is asking for too much,” but also suggested that Ukraine should not be fixated on the idea of a 30-day ceasefire. He acknowledged the significant differences between the two sides but expressed optimism that there is still a chance for the war to end.
“You don’t have to agree with Russia’s justification for the war, but you do need to understand where it’s coming from — to push them to talk about what they need to end it,” Vance said during an event in Washington. “The Russians are asking for a number of things, and we think they’re asking for too much.”
“The step we need to take now is for Russia and Ukraine to start talking to each other. We believe it might be impossible to fully mediate the entire process without at least some direct negotiations,” he said.
Vance’s comments — which follow his recent statement that Europe’s largest war since 1945 won’t end “anytime soon” — came after large drone strikes between Russia and Ukraine ahead of World War II commemorations on May 8 and 9.
At the end of April, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 72-hour ceasefire from May 8 to 10 and invited Kyiv to do the same.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the announcement propaganda and said that Russia should agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, in line with a U.S. proposal made in March. Ukraine agreed to the American plan at the time, but Russia did not.
Vance suggested that Ukraine should not press too hard for such a ceasefire.
“The gap [between Russian and Ukrainian positions] is large, but I’m optimistic. We’re trying to move away from the obsession with a 30-day ceasefire. If cooler heads prevail, we may be able to stop the killing,” he said.
The Kremlin, which launched the war against Ukraine in 2022, stated on May 6 that it would observe the three-day ceasefire but would “immediately” respond if Ukraine launched attacks.
U.S. officials have warned that Washington may abandon its peace efforts if no progress is made soon. Additionally, the future of U.S. military aid to Ukraine remains uncertain, increasing pressure on Europe to take a more prominent role in ensuring Ukraine’s security.
