US Vice President JD Vance said Monday that the Trump administration is working with Russia to end its war on Ukraine and has left the door open for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate a peace deal. Vance stated this in his first interview since a heated White House exchange with Zelensky and Trump, where Vance criticized the Ukrainian leader.
Vance argued that Ukraine should sign a minerals deal with the US, offering economic benefits as security guarantees against future Russian invasions. He claimed this would be a better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from another country.
In contrast, Zelensky expressed concerns over a ceasefire without security guarantees, which he saw as dangerous for Ukraine. The Ukrainian president has accepted an improved minerals agreement draft proposed by the US after his initial offer was rejected.
US and Ukrainian officials are closing in on the deal, valued at hundreds of billions of dollars, which aims to secure Ukraine’s sovereignty and freedom. The Trump administration sees this deal as a way to recover investment in Ukraine’s mineral wealth, while Ukrainian officials view it as an opportunity to strengthen relations with the US.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/03/04/jd-vance-trump-zelensky-ukraine-russia-fox-news