Trump's VP pick Vance suggests Ukraine trade-off for peace
Ukraine should leave the territories occupied by Russia while receiving guarantees of sovereignty, stated Senator J.D. Vance from Ohio, whom U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump has chosen as his vice-presidential running mate.
As "The American Conservative" writes, Vance proposes ceasing military operations in places where the forces of both sides are currently located and creating a fortified and demilitarized zone to prevent another Russian invasion.
Territories in exchange for NATO?
The U.S. vice-presidential candidate said Kyiv should be guaranteed sovereignty in exchange for the occupied territories, while Ukraine must remain neutral and renounce NATO membership. Vance also claims that Germany would have to finance Ukraine's reconstruction.
He believes continuing the war in a "stalemate" will require significant costs for the United States and Europe, while Russia has the advantage in a war of attrition.
Earlier, in February, at the Munich security conference, Vance stated: "We simply do not have manufacturing capacity to support a ground war in Eastern Europe indefinitely. And I think it's incumbent upon leaders to articulate this for their populations."
"How long is this expected to go on? How much is it expected to cost? And importantly, how are we actually supposed to produce the weapons necessary to support the Ukrainians?" he asked.
"I don't care what happens to Ukraine"
"It's a catastrophe for Ukraine," said a high-ranking EU official in July in an interview with Politico, commenting on the choice of Senator from Ohio, J.D. Vance, as the vice-presidential candidate.
Vance has expressed the view that the war in Ukraine should be swiftly concluded to allow the U.S. to concentrate on the more significant issue of China. In 2022, he made his stance on Ukraine clear during an interview, stating that he had no concern for the country's fate.
Absurd demands from Russia
Ukraine insists on implementing the "peace formula" proposed by President Zelensky, which includes a return to the 1991 borders and the withdrawal of Russian troops from occupied territories.
In mid-June, Vladimir Putin presented his plan to "end the conflict," which includes the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces from the areas occupied by Russia, Kyiv's recognition of the loss of control over these territories and Crimea, refusal of Ukraine's accession to NATO, assurance of nuclear-free state status, and the lifting of Western sanctions on Russia.
In Kyiv, the plan was immediately rejected as unacceptable.
