J.D. Vance’s Cousin, a U.S. Marine Veteran Fighting in Ukraine, Speaks Out on U.S. Aid

Nate Vance, a former U.S. Marine and cousin of Vice President J.D. Vance, criticized his relative’s stance on Ukraine following an Oval Office exchange with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

On March 9, Le Figaro reported Nate Vance spent nearly three years fighting with Ukrainian forces, Nate expressed disappointment in both his cousin and former President Donald Trump, calling their handling of the meeting with Zelenskyy “an ambush of absolute bad faith.”

Nate, 47, and J.D. Vance share grandparents, growing up together during childhood visits in Middletown, Ohio, and California. While J.D. built a political career—first as the author of Hillbilly Elegy, then as a U.S. senator, and now as vice president—Nate joined a volunteer unit in Ukraine, participating in battles across Kupiansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Pokrovsk.

“Being your family doesn’t mean I will stand by and watch you get my comrades killed,” Nate said, responding to J.D. Vance’s skepticism toward U.S. support for Ukraine. He argued that American aid had been effectively used on the front lines and criticized his cousin for citing “reporting” rather than seeking first-hand accounts from someone with direct battlefield experience.

Nate said he had attempted to contact J.D. Vance multiple times from Ukraine but never received a response.

Nate’s military experience before Ukraine was limited to four years in the U.S. Marines, ending two decades ago. From 2001 to 2022, he lived a quiet life in San Antonio, Texas, working in the oil industry. A longtime Republican and gun enthusiast, he felt drawn to the war in Ukraine out of a sense of historical significance. “I wanted to see for myself. Out of curiosity. And for the adventure too,” he admitted to Le Figaro.

He arrived in Lviv in March 2022, initially intending to assist with logistics or medical support. After encountering a British volunteer seeking foreign fighters with prior military experience, Nate joined a Ukrainian volunteer unit, undergoing basic training alongside civilians, including construction workers, bartenders, and teachers.

Deployed to the Donbas region in June 2022, Nate fought alongside the “Da Vinci Wolves,” a unit of Ukrainian nationalists that have been on the front lines since 2014.

His former comrades described him as significantly older than most foreign volunteers, yet highly skilled. “On his first day at the range, he picked up a simple Kalashnikov, no sights, and hit the target five times in a row from 800 meters. Everyone stopped laughing,” said a fellow soldier.

According to the Figaro article, Nate was soon integrated into frontline operations, with his commander once stating, “I only need Nate and his Kalashnikov.”

For two and a half years, Nate lived among his Ukrainian comrades, witnessing the transition of his unit from a volunteer brigade to a specialized assault force.

He focused on improving battlefield communication, recognizing its importance in combat efficiency. One soldier, an English-speaking nuclear engineer nicknamed “Alf,” became his translator and guide in navigating the language barrier.

Though he avoided discussing the details of combat, Nate acknowledged the brutality of trench warfare. “You compartmentalize. You don’t think about it,” he said. His battalion commander, Serhii Filimonov, recalled multiple instances where he and Nate narrowly survived heavy Russian shelling. “Fifteen times we should have died. Fifteen times we made it out,” he said.

In early January 2025, days before J.D. Vance’s inauguration as vice president, Nate left Ukraine, citing the risks of being captured. He is now seeking a publisher for his wartime memoirs. “I hope to keep defending Ukraine in other ways—it still needs it,” he said.

However, he now finds himself at odds with his own political party and even his family. His mother, Donna, has echoed J.D. Vance’s criticism of Zelenskyy, at one point referring to him as a “pretentious little brat” on Facebook according to Le Figaro.

From his RV on the roads of the American West, Nate reflected on the shifting U.S. stance toward Ukraine. “Donald Trump and my cousin think they can win over Vladimir Putin. They’re wrong. The Russians won’t forget our support for Ukraine. We are Putin’s useful idiots,” he said.

Earlier, Britain announced it is advising Ukraine on peace talks with the United States as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares for negotiations in Saudi Arabia on March 11.