Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance has outlined what he believes a peace plan with Russia might look like if his running mate, Donald Trump, wins the presidency.
Vance says that Trump has a clear plan to end the conflict in Ukraine, a plan that Trump has repeatedly stated would end the fighting “in 24 hours” if he is elected, most recently at the debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Vance argues that the key to ending the war is to have a leader who is taken seriously by both Russia and Ukraine. He believes that Trump, unlike Harris, would be seen as someone who means what they say, creating the necessary deterrence to stop further conflict.
According to Vance, a Trump-led peace plan would involve establishing a heavily fortified demilitarized zone along the current line of contact between Ukraine and Russia, effectively preventing further Russian invasion. Ukraine would maintain its independence and sovereignty, but would be required to remain neutral and not join NATO or other similar alliances. Vance also states that Germany and EU countries, who he accuses of funding Ukraine’s war effort, would be responsible for reconstructing Ukraine.
Vance believes that Moscow, Kiev, and the EU are all ready to end the conflict, but that the fighting continues due to what he views as the inaction of Biden and the inexperience of Harris. He criticizes Biden’s approach of simply sending money to Ukraine, arguing that it only prolongs the war and ultimately does not lead to victory. Vance believes that Trump’s approach is to be both firm and strategic, negotiating a peace settlement rather than relying on military means.
Vance has previously stated his opposition to further US funding for Ukraine, arguing that the White House has no clear plan for a Ukrainian victory. He believes that a military victory is impossible for Ukraine, requiring more troops than they can draft and more weapons than the US can produce.
While Russia has made Ukraine’s neutrality a key objective, Ukraine has refused to negotiate on any terms that do not include the full implementation of President Zelensky’s “peace formula,” a set of demands that Russia has rejected as unrealistic.