Vance: It is ‘Clearly Time’ for Russia to ‘Talk Seriously’ about Peace/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Vice President JD Vance said that Russia must “talk seriously” about peace as battlefield setbacks and economic decline reshape President Donald Trump’s view of the Ukraine war. Vance added that negotiations remain difficult but stressed the urgency of ending the conflict. He also voiced cautious optimism about Gaza ceasefire talks.
Vance on Russia and Gaza Quick Looks
- Vance: Russia’s military losses and economic collapse demand peace talks
- Trump now says Ukraine can win war and reclaim territory
- Position contrasts with earlier claims Ukraine should concede land to Russia
- Trump, Zelenskyy appeared together at the U.N. to signal unity
- Russia accused of refusing bilateral and trilateral meetings with Ukraine
- Vance declined to endorse sending Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv
- On Gaza, Vance sees U.S. at “one-yard line” for peace
- Warns that last-minute changes could still derail negotiations
Vance: It is ‘Clearly Time’ for Russia to ‘Talk Seriously’ about Peace
Deep Look
Vice President JD Vance urged Russia to engage in serious peace talks, pointing to mounting battlefield losses and an economy in disarray as signs that the Kremlin has little left to gain from prolonging the Ukraine war. His remarks reflect a noticeable shift in the Trump administration’s rhetoric, suggesting growing impatience with Moscow’s refusal to negotiate and a stronger embrace of Ukraine’s ability to resist.
“The Russian economy is in shambles. The Russians are not gaining much on the battlefield. It’s clearly time for them to listen to [Trump’s] passionate plea for them to come to the table and actually talk seriously about peace,” Vance told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on Fox News Sunday.
Vance added that Russia has inflicted heavy casualties while suffering massive losses of its own. “They don’t have much to show for it,” he said. “How many more people are they willing to lose? How many people are they willing to kill for very little, if any, gain?”
Trump’s Evolving Position on Ukraine
The vice president’s comments come days after President Donald Trump appeared alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. There, Trump made some of his strongest pro-Ukraine remarks yet, declaring that NATO allies should shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace and pledging continued weapons support through NATO. He also insisted that Ukraine can win the war and reclaim lost territory — a dramatic reversal from his earlier position that Ukraine could not prevail and should consider ceding land to Russia.
This marks a clear departure from Trump’s previous skepticism. During the 2024 campaign, he promised to end the war on his first day in office, often implying that meant pushing Kyiv toward concessions. As recently as February, Trump and Vance openly criticized Zelenskyy, with Trump suggesting Ukraine resisted peace talks because U.S. support gave it too much leverage.
But the tone shifted at the U.N., where Trump praised Ukraine’s resilience and cast Russia as the party obstructing negotiations. Vance reinforced that assessment Sunday, blaming Moscow for stalling.
“What we have seen over the last couple weeks, 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.
Weapons Debate Still Ongoing
Despite the stronger pro-Ukraine posture, the administration remains cautious about expanding direct U.S. support. Zelenskyy reportedly asked Trump for Tomahawk long-range missiles during their U.N. meeting, but Vance declined to say whether the request would be approved.
“What the president will do is what’s in the best interest of the United States of America,” Vance said, emphasizing that the decision rests with Trump.
Gaza Talks at “One-Yard Line”
In addition to Russia and Ukraine, Vance addressed ongoing negotiations in the Middle East. Talks to reach a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas have inched closer to a breakthrough, he said, but remain fragile.
“The president wants Gaza to be controlled by the people who live there,” Vance noted, framing Trump as committed to a locally governed postwar Gaza rather than outside control. Using a football metaphor, Vance described progress: “I think the president has gotten us to a point where we are at the one-yard line and all of us are very hopeful we can punch through to the end zone and accomplish a major, major thing for peace in the region.”
Still, he warned against premature optimism. “These things can get derailed at the very last minute,” he said, stressing both hope and caution.
Strategic Implications
The administration’s recalibrated tone on Ukraine and Russia reflects two evolving realities. First, Russia’s economy is deteriorating under the weight of sanctions and a protracted war effort. Second, Moscow’s battlefield results have plateaued, with high casualties but no decisive gains. Analysts say this weakens Russia’s negotiating leverage, giving the U.S. and its NATO allies a stronger hand to press for serious talks.
At the same time, Trump and Vance must balance foreign policy assertiveness with political considerations at home. A harder line on Russia appeals to hawkish NATO allies and skeptical U.S. lawmakers alike, but sending high-tech weapons such as Tomahawks risks sparking escalatory backlash from Moscow.
The Gaza conflict, meanwhile, remains another proving ground for Trump’s diplomacy. A successful ceasefire agreement could bolster his claims of delivering “greatness in the Middle East,” a phrase he has repeatedly used to frame his foreign policy.
What Comes Next
For Ukraine, the coming weeks may determine whether Trump’s new rhetoric translates into concrete action. Decisions about expanded weapons transfers and diplomatic pushes at the U.N. will reveal how far Washington is willing to go in backing Kyiv. For Gaza, negotiators are racing against both political deadlines and humanitarian urgency to finalize a fragile ceasefire deal.
Vance’s comments suggest that the administration is trying to project strength while nudging adversaries toward compromise — a balancing act that could define Trump’s second term foreign policy.
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