U.S. Vice President JD Vance has stated that Russia has made “significant concessions” toward a negotiated resolution in its conflict with Ukraine, noting that progress is being made despite the lack of visible results toward ending the war.
Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker,” Vance said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made several concessions, including Ukraine receiving security guarantees to protect it from future Russian aggression.
“I think the Russians have made significant concessions to President Trump for the first time in three and a half years of this conflict,” Vance said in comments aired on Sunday.
“They have accepted that they will not be able to install a puppet regime in Kyiv. This was, of course, a major initial demand. Importantly, they have accepted that there will be some form of security guarantee for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.”
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a Sunday interview that a group of nations, including members of the U.N. Security Council, should act as guarantors of Ukraine’s security.
On Friday, President Donald Trump reiterated the threat of imposing sanctions on Russia if no progress toward a peaceful resolution in Ukraine occurred within two weeks, expressing frustration with Moscow a week after his meeting with Putin in Alaska.
Vance noted that sanctions would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, acknowledging that “new penalties” are unlikely to compel Russia to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine.
He also referenced Trump’s announcement this month of an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods as punishment for oil purchases from Russia, describing it as an economic lever intended to encourage peace.
“He has tried to make it clear that Russia can be reintegrated into the global economy if the killings stop, but will remain isolated if they continue,” Vance said.
