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Vance says US will ‘walk away’ unless Ukraine and Russia accept peace deal Trump claims Zelenskyy is jeopardising ‘imminent’ Ukraine peace deal
(about 3 hours later)
US vice-president suggests ‘some territorial swaps’ are needed that may freeze conflict along current frontlines US president attacks Ukrainian counterpart for complaining Kyiv is unwilling to cede Crimea to Russia
The US vice-president has called on Ukraine and Russia to accept a US-led peace proposal that would see the conflict frozen roughly along the current frontlines and threatened that Washington would “walk away” if it was not accepted. Donald Trump has accused Volodymyr Zelenskyy of jeopardising what he claimed was an imminent peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, as he gave the clearest hint yet that the US would be willing to formally recognise Russia’s seizure of Crimea as part of any agreement.
Speaking on a trip to India, JD Vance said there would have to be “some territorial swaps” to reach a deal in public comments that came as London hosted a Ukraine peace conference that the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, had withdrawn from. The US president claimed a deal to end the war – largely negotiated between Washington and Moscow - was close, while vice president JD Vance said the agreement would include a proposal to freeze the conflict roughly along the current frontlines.
It was unclear how Ukraine and its European allies, who were meeting in London on Wednesday, would respond to a plan largely constructed in their absence. Zelenskyy countered by proposing a simple ceasefire without conditions on both sides, though this did not immediately gain any traction from the US.
But after a day of speculation and partial disclosure of the terms of the peace proposal, Trump attacked his Ukrainian counterpart for complaining that Kyiv was unwilling to cede Crimea to Russia - the most contentious aspect of the tentative agreement that has leaked so far.
The US president wrote on social media that “Crimea was lost years ago” in 2014, when Barack Obama was president, and its control “is not even a point of discussion”, an apparent reference to the fact that Ukraine has been unable to recapture it in the three-year war sparked by Russia’ full scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
Reports that Washington would be willing to recognise Crimea under Russian control have been circulating for a couple of days. That prompted Zelenskyy to say on Tuesday that “Ukraine will not recognise the occupation of Crimea”, arguing that doing so it would be incompatible with the country’s constitution.
Responding to a report of his comments, Trump wrote on Wednesday that “this statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia” and accused the Ukrainian leader of making “inflammatory statements” that “makes it so difficult to settle this War”.
“Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory,” Trump wrote, implying that US was willing to do so, before accusing Ukraine of failing to defend Crimea. “If he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?”
Russia unilaterally annexed Crimea in March 2014 during a political crisis in Ukraine after the ousting of the country’s pro-Russia president, Viktor Yanukovych. Gunmen seized the regional parliament and airports, and in a subsequent referendum 97% voted to join Russia. The poll was not recognised as legal by the US, UK or EU.
Matthew Savill, the director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute thinktank, said that US recognition of Russia’s control of Crimea would be a “de jure recognition of territory taken by force” and amount to “actively endorsing the Russian position in opposition to the European position and Ukrainian politics”.
A Ukraine peace summit in London was hastily downgraded Wednesday morning after the Washington said the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, would not be travelling the evening before. Hosted by the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, the meeting was said to be taking place at the level of officials instead.
Downing St said that it consisted of substantive technical meetings on how to stop the fighting, with US Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak, and national security advisors from France and Germany amongst those present.
Earlier, Vance, on a trip to India, called on Ukraine and Russia to accept a US-led peace proposal and threatened that Washington would abandon its effort to end the war – a Trump campaign promise - if it was not accepted.
“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say yes or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vance said.“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say yes or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vance said.
“The only way to really stop the killing is for the armies to both put down their weapons, to freeze this thing and to get on with the business of actually building a better Russia and a better Ukraine.”
The US proposal would mean “we’re going to freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” Vance said, though he added there should be some adjustments. “Now, of course, that means the Ukrainians and the Russians are both going to have to give up some of the territory they currently own.”The US proposal would mean “we’re going to freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” Vance said, though he added there should be some adjustments. “Now, of course, that means the Ukrainians and the Russians are both going to have to give up some of the territory they currently own.”
The vice-president did not explicitly mention that US would recognise Crimea, seized by Moscow in 2014, as part of Russia but reports have suggested that the concession is also part of a proposal gradually being leaked into the public domain.
A ceasefire on the current frontlines has already been accepted in principle by Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called again for an immediate halt to the three-year war. “In Ukraine, we insist on an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire,” he said, adding that “stopping the killings is the number one task”.A ceasefire on the current frontlines has already been accepted in principle by Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called again for an immediate halt to the three-year war. “In Ukraine, we insist on an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire,” he said, adding that “stopping the killings is the number one task”.
Early on Wednesday, nine people were reportedly killed when a Russian drone hit a bus carrying workers in the Ukrainian city of Marhanets – one of 134 large drones that Ukrainian authorities reported had attacked the country overnight.Early on Wednesday, nine people were reportedly killed when a Russian drone hit a bus carrying workers in the Ukrainian city of Marhanets – one of 134 large drones that Ukrainian authorities reported had attacked the country overnight.
But Russia’s demand that the US legally recognise its seizure of Crimea, a redrawing of borders by force, was rejected by Zelenskyy on Tuesday. “There is nothing new to mention or discuss. Ukraine will not recognise the occupation of Crimea,” he had said, adding that it would be incompatible with Ukraine’s constitution. Though Ukraine has indicated it is willing to accept de facto Russian occupation of around a fifth of its territory, arguing that it will reunite the country by diplomatic means eventually, it has refused to accept what would be a domestically unpopular partition by accepting Russia’s formal control of Crimea, even if the recognition was done by the US.
Though Ukraine has indicated it is willing to accept de facto Russian occupation of around a fifth of its territory, arguing that it will reunite the country by diplomatic means eventually, it has refused to accept what would be a domestically unpopular partition, even if the recognition was done by the US.
Other anticipated elements of the deal are that Ukraine would be prevented by a US veto from joining Nato, a point largely accepted by a reluctant Kyiv. But another that future security guarantees would be provided by a UK and French-led 30-country “coalition of the willing” has not been accepted by Russia.Other anticipated elements of the deal are that Ukraine would be prevented by a US veto from joining Nato, a point largely accepted by a reluctant Kyiv. But another that future security guarantees would be provided by a UK and French-led 30-country “coalition of the willing” has not been accepted by Russia.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said Russia continued to oppose the presence of European peacekeeping forces, which Ukraine sees as the only viable alternative to Nato membership for ensuring its security.Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said Russia continued to oppose the presence of European peacekeeping forces, which Ukraine sees as the only viable alternative to Nato membership for ensuring its security.
Peskov said there were “many nuances” surrounding negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine and that the positions of the various parties involved had yet to be brought closer – suggesting, from a Russian perspective, that the deal was not yet agreed.Peskov said there were “many nuances” surrounding negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine and that the positions of the various parties involved had yet to be brought closer – suggesting, from a Russian perspective, that the deal was not yet agreed.
Britain had announced there would be a fresh round of peace talks in London on Wednesday, hosted by the foreign secretary, David Lammy, and to which counterparts from the US and Ukraine had been invited plus delegations from France and Germany. Initial reports on Tuesday had suggested Russia was willing to trade territory it does not control in Ukraine – in effect, fresh air – for a US recognition of its seizure of Crimea, in what would be a formal acknowledgment that it is possible to change borders by force, creating an extraordinary post-second world war precedent.
Lammy had been hoping to bring together the US, Ukraine and Europe in the peace discussions on Wednesday and so maintain relationships between traditional allies even while the direct US-Russia talks continued.
But the British minister was embarrassed by Rubio’s sudden decision late on Tuesday not to turn up and by a rising chorus of leaks apparently from the US and Russia, designed to derail the discussions and to promote the idea that the most significant discussions are those taking place directly between Washington and Moscow.
Britain said the talks had been downgraded to the level of officials and the US said it would send its Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, instead of Rubio. However, Kyiv decided it would nevertheless send a senior delegation led by Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, plus the foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, and the defence minister, Rustem Umerov.
Initial indications suggested Russia was willing to trade territory it does not control in Ukraine – in effect, fresh air – for a US recognition of its seizure of Crimea, in what would be a formal acknowledgment that it is possible to change borders by force, creating an extraordinary post-second world war precedent.
The Kremlin’s signals are carefully calibrated and almost certainly designed to make matters difficult for Zelenskyy. Ukraine’s leadership has repeatedly signalled – as Zelenskyy repeated on Tuesday – that it could not legally recognise the seizure of Crimea or any of its other territory that Russia occupies.
Russia may be banking on the idea that Ukraine is weary after more than three years of war and that its proposal is a reasonable counter to western suggestions, backed by the US, Ukraine and Europe, that there should be an immediate and full ceasefire to allow other wider negotiations to take place.Russia may be banking on the idea that Ukraine is weary after more than three years of war and that its proposal is a reasonable counter to western suggestions, backed by the US, Ukraine and Europe, that there should be an immediate and full ceasefire to allow other wider negotiations to take place.