Vance Says Russia Must ‘Talk Seriously’ About Peace as Trump Shifts Tone on Ukraine

Vice President JD Vance — on Sunday said that President Donald Trump’s evolving position on the Russia-Ukraine war reflects the mounting human and economic costs of the conflict, urging Moscow to begin negotiating in earnest.

“The Russian economy is in shambles. The Russians are not gaining much on the battlefield. It’s clearly time for them to listen to his passionate plea for them to come to the table and actually talk seriously about peace,” Vance told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum in an interview aired on Fox News Sunday.

Vance pointed to the death toll and battlefield stalemate as reasons for Trump’s heightened confidence in Ukraine’s ability to resist Russian advances. The president’s recent remarks at the United Nations General Assembly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stood in sharp contrast to earlier skepticism about Kyiv’s chances of reclaiming territory.

At that press conference, Trump called on NATO allies to intercept Russian aircraft violating their airspace and pledged continued U.S. weapons support for NATO partners. He also said Ukraine could not only win the war but potentially retake occupied areas — a reversal from earlier comments suggesting Kyiv should prepare to concede lost territory.

The president’s posture has shifted markedly since February, when both Trump and Vance sharply criticized Zelenskyy during a bilateral meeting. At the time, Trump said the Ukrainian leader was not serious about peace talks if the U.S. remained involved, arguing that Washington’s backing gave Kyiv undue leverage.

Vance on Sunday laid blame squarely on Moscow for prolonging the conflict. “The Russians have refused to sit down with any bilateral meetings with Ukrainians. They have refused to sit down with any trilateral meetings,” he said. “A lot of people are dying and they don’t have a lot to show for it.”

Asked whether he would back Ukraine’s request for U.S. Tomahawk long-range missiles, which Zelenskyy reportedly raised in his UN meeting with Trump, Vance deferred to the president’s judgment. “What the president will do is what’s in the best interest of the United States of America,” he said.Vance also addressed ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, expressing “cautious optimism” about progress toward an agreement between Israel and Hamas. He suggested the administration is close to securing a breakthrough but warned of last-minute setbacks.

“I think the president has gotten us to a point where we are at the one-yard line,” Vance said. “I am more optimistic about where we are than at any point, but let’s be realistic, these things can get derailed at the very last minute.”