Vance Calls Russia’s Ukraine Peace Demands “Excessive”

US Vice President Jay D Vance considers Russia’s demands for a peace settlement in its war against Ukraine excessive. According to him, this stems from Russia’s perception of the war as a “victorious” one.

This was stated by Vance in an interview with Fox News aired on Friday, May 9.

“What would bother me is if we conclude that the Russians are not engaging in negotiations in good faith. And if that happens, yeah, we’re going to walk away,” Vance said.

On April 26, US President Donald Trump suggested that Russian leader Vladimir Putin may not be interested in ending the war in Ukraine, following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Rome.

According to Vance, despite mounting frustrations from the White House, the exchange of proposals between the parties is a sign of “progress.”

“We knew that Russia would ask for too much because Russia’s perspective on the ground is that they’re winning,” Vance said. “Our attitude is we don’t want Ukraine to collapse. We obviously want Ukraine to remain a sovereign country. But Russia can’t expect to be given territory they haven’t even conquered yet.”

Vance further explained, “We knew Russia’s initial offer would be excessive. We anticipated they would demand more than what was reasonable to give; that’s just how negotiations often unfold.”

He also warned that if Moscow continues to delay talks, Russia and Ukraine “are going to be left to settle this thing without the advice and the mediation of the United States.”

On May 7, Vance stated that the United States will shift away from the idea of a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, focusing instead on long-lasting solutions.

At the same time, on May 8, Zelenskyy told Trump during a phone conversation that Ukraine is “ready for a 30-day ceasefire—even starting today.”

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