U.S. Vice President JD Vance says Russia has made 'significant concessions' on Ukraine settlement

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that Russia has made “significant concessions” toward a negotiated settlement in its war with Ukraine, voicing confidence that progress is being made even without signs the conflict is close to ending.

Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Vance said President Vladimir Putin had backed away from early war aims.

“They’ve recognised that they’re not going to be able to install a puppet regime in Kyiv,” Vance said. He added that Moscow had also accepted the idea of security guarantees for Ukraine against future Russian aggression.

Russia’s war in Ukraine, launched in February 2022, has killed tens of thousands. Sources told Reuters last week that Putin was demanding Ukraine surrender the entire Donbas region, renounce NATO membership, remain neutral and keep Western troops out, in exchange for halting attacks.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that a group of nations, including United Nations Security Council members, should serve as guarantors of Ukraine’s security.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump renewed a threat to impose sanctions on Russia if no progress is made within two weeks, showing frustration with Moscow after his talks with Putin in Alaska.

Vance said sanctions would be judged “case by case,” admitting they were unlikely to force Russia into a ceasefire. He pointed instead to Trump’s decision to levy an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods this month over New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases as an example of the economic leverage that could be used.

“He’s tried to make it clear that Russia can be re-invited into the world economy if they stop the killing, but they’re going to continue to be isolated if they don’t,” Vance said.

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