US vice president urges Zelenskyy to negotiate with Moscow

Vice President JD Vance revealed that officials from the Trump administration are already engaged in discussions with Russia aimed at ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Vance stressed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must accept a US-backed mineral rights deal and begin negotiations with Moscow to move forward, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

Vance’s comments came just hours after the Trump administration announced it would halt some defence aid to Ukraine. The announcement is seen as a significant development as Zelenskyy's forces continue to fight to repel Russian troops, who have been invading Ukraine since 2022.

“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years. The security guarantee, and also the economic guarantee for Ukraine, is to rebuild the country,” Vance said, underlining the importance of the US-backed plan over other forms of military support. He further warned, “You're not going to do that if you come to the Oval Office, insult the president and refuse to follow his plan for peace.”

The vice president also addressed the fallout from the contentious meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump in the Oval Office on February 28, which culminated in a shouting match. “He needs to engage seriously on the details,” Vance said, indicating that the US was already working with Russia and other allies to formulate the specifics of the proposed peace agreement.

Vance reiterated that President Trump’s goal is simple: “We want the killing to stop.” He noted that the administration’s priority was securing peace, regardless of whether the final deal allowed Russia to alter European borders by force for the first time since World War II.

Furthermore, Vance accused Zelenskyy of demonstrating a "clear unwillingness to engage in the peace process." He claimed Zelenskyy had rejected Trump's terms, adding, "I think Zelenskyy wasn't yet there, and I think, frankly, now still isn't there, but I think we'll get there eventually. He has to."

By Vafa Guliyeva