US Vice President JD Vance has said the war in Ukraine is unlikely to end soon, but added that both Kyiv and Moscow have, for the first time, publicly laid out their peace terms - a shift he called a “big breakthrough.”
Speaking to Fox News, Vance credited the Trump administration with helping to bring both parties to a point where the start of negotiations might be possible.
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“There was a really big breakthrough... For three years, these sides have fought, and each of them has said, ‘No peace, we’re going to fight.’ What we’ve seen now in the last couple of weeks is that each side has put down that this is our peace proposal,” he said.
“I think the question is to see whether we can actually find some middle ground here for these guys to bring this conflict to a close,” Vance added.
He emphasized that while the US facilitated the current dialogue, any settlement would ultimately depend on Ukraine and Russia.
“Now that each side knows what the other’s terms for peace are, it’s going to be up to them to come to an agreement and stop this brutal conflict. It’s not going anywhere. It’s not going to end anytime soon.”
While expressing cautious optimism, Vance said continued fighting for relatively small territorial gains could cost thousands of more lives.
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“Of course [the Ukrainians] are angry they were invaded but are we going to continue to lose thousands of soldiers over a few miles of territory this or that way?” he asked. “I hope both of them come to their senses.”
His remarks came shortly after Washington signed a deal with Kyiv to share profits from Ukraine’s mineral deposits in exchange for future US security assistance – a move some analysts have viewed as a sign of long-term US engagement.
Vance referred to the minerals’ agreement as further progress, saying: “We got the minerals deal done. I think we’re in a place where [Ukraine and Russia] have to say: We’re done with the fighting.”
However, he acknowledged the limits of US influence: “Only Russia and Ukraine can make that decision. That’s not something even President Trump can do for them.”
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump suggested Ukraine might consider ceding Crimea as part of a peace deal. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously dismissed that possibility, citing the Ukrainian constitution, which defines Crimea as Ukrainian territory.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also commented on Thursday, warning that unless there is a breakthrough soon, Trump “will have to decide how much time to dedicate to this.”
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said during a press briefing that the US would no longer act as a mediator in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
While reiterating America’s ongoing diplomatic support, Bruce emphasized that Washington intends to shift its approach.
“We will not be the mediators,” she said. “We are still committed and will help and do what we can, but we are not going to fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings.”
She added that it’s now up to Kyiv and Moscow to bring forward “concrete ideas” about how to end the war.
Bruce also said that the US is not lifting any existing sanctions but did not commit to new ones at this time.
Meanwhile, fighting continues. Russia announced a unilateral three-day ceasefire beginning on May 8, to which Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded by calling for an immediate 30-day halt to hostilities.
Overnight on Thursday, a Russian drone attack on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia injured at least 29 people, including a 13-year-old boy. Separately, Moscow accused Kyiv of targeting a civilian market in the town of Oleshky in Russian-occupied Ukraine, but Kyiv said the attack was targeted against military personnel.
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