Vance says Russia has made 'significant concessions' on Ukraine

[ad_1] Vice President JD Vance mentioned Sunday that Russia has made "vital concessions" in talks to finish its conflict with Ukraine however did not rule out imposing extra sanctions to strain the Kremlin towards peace.

In an interview aired Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Vance was requested if Russia is stringing President Donald Trump alongside, Vance mentioned no and mentioned the Russians have been "versatile" on a few of its calls for.

"I feel the Russians have made vital concessions to President Trump for the primary time in 3 1/2 years of this battle. They've really been prepared to be versatile on a few of their core calls for. They've talked about what could be essential to finish the conflict," he mentioned. "After all, they have not been utterly there but, or the conflict could be over. However we're participating on this diplomatic course of in good religion."

"We generally really feel like we have made nice progress with the Russians, and generally, because the president has mentioned, he is been very pissed off with the Russians," Vance continued.

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance communicate after asserting the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw can be held on the Kennedy Heart in December 2025, within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, August 22, 2025.

Annabelle Gordon/EPA/Shutterstock

The vp was pressed on why he believes Russia needs to pursue peace on condition that it has rejected the ceasefire proposal that Trump put ahead and that there is not any deliberate assembly between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"Effectively, I did not say they conceded on all the things," he replied. "However what they've conceded is the popularity that Ukraine can have territorial integrity after the conflict. They've acknowledged that they are not going to have the ability to set up a puppet regime in Kyiv. That was, in fact, a serious demand at the start. And importantly, they've acknowledged that there's going to be some safety assure to the territorial integrity of Ukraine."

Vance informed NBC that extra sanctions towards Russia are attainable, however these selections could be made on a case-by-case foundation.

"No, sanctions aren't off the desk. However we'll make these determinations on a case-by-case foundation. What do we predict is definitely going to exert the proper of leverage to deliver the Russians to the desk," Vance mentioned.

In a separate interview taped Friday and aired Sunday on "Meet the Press," Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov was requested what he would say to U.S. lawmakers who've accused Russia of stringing Trump alongside, Lavrov mentioned that Russia respects the U.S. president.

"It's not for the lawmakers or for any media outlet to, to resolve, , what President Trump is motivated by -- we respect President Trump as a result of President Trump defends American nationwide pursuits," Lavrov mentioned.

The Russian international minister mentioned it's European leaders who met with Trump and Zelenskyy final week in Washington and never Putin which can be an obstacle to getting a peace settlement.

"And I've purpose to imagine that President Trump respects President Putin as a result of he defends Russian nationwide pursuits," he added. "And no matter they focus on between themselves will not be a secret. We would like peace in Ukraine. He needs, President Trump needs, peace in Ukraine. The response to Anchorage assembly, the gathering in Washington of those European representatives and what they have been doing after Washington signifies that they do not need peace."

Lavrov informed NBC there is no such thing as a scheduled assembly between Putin and Zelenskyy as Trump has pushed for, saying that there must be an agenda first earlier than something is finalized.

Zelenskyy mentioned Friday there can be no assembly between the presidents as a result of Russia does not need to finish the conflict.

Russia's Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press convention with India's Overseas Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar following their talks at Zinaida Morozova's Mansion in Moscow, Russia August 21, 2025.

Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool through Reuters

"The problem is not only the assembly. The problem is that they do not need to finish the conflict," he mentioned. "A bilateral assembly is likely one of the elements of find out how to finish the conflict. It isn't all, it is one of many elements. And since they do not need to finish it, they may search for house for it. And this house must be decreased. America and Europe in unity cut back this house for conflict."

U.S. and European protection officers have mentioned safety assurances for Ukraine to forestall additional Russian aggression, however few particulars have been emerged.

NATO Secretary-Normal Mark Rutte was in Ukraine on Friday to put out a framework for safety ensures for Ukraine with Zelenskyy.

"The primary layer must be for Ukrainian armed forces to be as robust as attainable to defend this proud nation and nation going ahead," Rutte mentioned, saying that may come after a peace deal or "long-term ceasefire."

He added, "And the second layer must be the safety ensures supplied by Europe and the USA."

Vance reaffirmed Trump's earlier feedback that there can be no U.S. troops on the bottom in Ukraine as a component safety ensures.

"The president's been very clear. There are usually not going to be boots on the bottom in Ukraine, however we're going to proceed to play an energetic function in attempting to make sure that the Ukrainians have the safety ensures and the arrogance they should cease the conflict on their finish," he mentioned.

Requested about feedback Putin made in June, saying, "I take into account the Russian and Ukrainian folks to be one nation. On this sense, all of Ukraine is ours," and whether or not Ukraine has a proper to exist, Lavrov replied, "Ukraine has the suitable to exist, supplied it should let folks go."

"The folks whom they name 'terrorists,' who they name species and who throughout a referenda – a number of referenda in Novorossiya, in Donbas, in Crimea determined that they belong to the Russian tradition and the federal government which got here to energy because of the coup was decided as a precedence to exterminate all the things Russian," Lavrov mentioned.

Zelenskyy has lengthy opposed surrendering sovereign territory to Russia, saying the nation's structure forbids it.

Lavrov additionally pushed again when requested to acknowledge that Russia invaded Ukraine, saying, "Russia began particular army operation to defend the individuals who Zelenskyy and his predecessor didn't take into account as people."