Vice President Vance Defends Trump’s Ukraine Peace Plan, Blasts Critics for Ignoring ‘Reality on the Ground’
Vice President Vance Defends Trump’s Ukraine Peace Plan, Blasts Critics for Ignoring ‘Reality on the Ground’ - Screenshot Via YouTube
Vice President JD Vance on Friday defended President Trump’s 28-point peace plan aimed at ending the more than three-year war in Ukraine, arguing that much of the criticism ignores “critical reality.”
In an online post on X, Vance outlined what he sees as the three essential requirements for any workable agreement: stopping the fighting while preserving Ukraine’s sovereignty, ensuring the deal is acceptable to both Ukraine and Russia, and reducing the chances of the war starting again.
“Every criticism of the peace framework the administration is working on either misunderstands the framework or misstates some critical reality on the ground,” he wrote on social platform X.
“There is a fantasy that if we just give more money, more weapons, or more sanctions, victory is at hand,” the vice president continued. “Peace won’t be made by failed diplomats or politicians living in a fantasy land. It might be made by smart people living in the real world.”
The plan was reportedly negotiated by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev, a top ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Only a few senior Ukrainian officials were briefed and Kyiv allies in Congress were seemingly caught off guard by the proposal, which has been panned by at least one Republican as pro-Russia.
Under the proposed agreement, portions of Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk would be placed under “de facto” Russian control. The Ukrainian army would also be downsized, and NATO forces would be barred from being stationed in the nation — a large hurdle for Europe’s envisioned peacekeeping force.
The only concession for Moscow would be to direct $100 billion in frozen assets to Ukrainian reconstruction. Russia and its allies would also see sanctions dropped and be welcomed back into the global economy.
It comes months after peace talks between Russia and Ukraine stalled as Trump aired frustration with Putin over continued strikes in Ukraine following a face-to-face meeting between the leaders. In response, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on major Russian oil companies, and some lawmakers have pressed for more repercussions.
Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pushed back on the latest proposal, calling out the provisions for being detrimental to U.S. interests and more favorable to Putin.
“This so-called ‘peace plan’ has real problems, and I am highly skeptical it will achieve peace. Ukraine should not be forced to give up its lands to one of the world’s most flagrant war criminals in Vladimir Putin,” Wicker wrote Friday in a statement. “The size and disposition of Ukraine’s armed forces is a sovereign choice for its government and people.”
“And any assurances provided to Putin should not reward his malign behavior or undermine the security of the United States or allies,” the Mississippi Republican added.
McConnell, in a post on X, argued that “Putin has spent the entire year trying to play President Trump for a fool.”
“If Administration officials are more concerned with appeasing Putin than securing real peace, then the President ought to find new advisors,” he added.
The White House said U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll was optimistic after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this week to discuss the plan. Zelensky, in a post on social media, thanked Trump for his efforts and said his team is reviewing the proposal.
Putin, in a televised meeting with his national security council, suggested the peace plan could serve as a basis for ending the war and predicted that Kyiv would be reluctant to accept it, ABC News reported.
Trump gave Ukraine a Thanksgiving deadline to respond.
