U.S. Vice President JD Vance issued a stark warning on Wednesday, telling reporters that unless Russia and Ukraine reach a ceasefire agreement soon, the United States will withdraw from its role in the negotiations to end the war.
Speaking during a four-day visit to India, Vance said the U.S. has delivered a clear proposal to both Moscow and Kyiv and is now waiting for a definitive response.
“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say yes, or for the United States to walk away from this process,” Vance declared.
The vice president’s comments come amid a new round of peace talks in London, where American, Ukrainian, and European envoys gathered to explore diplomatic solutions to the ongoing conflict. The high-level summit, however, has already been marred by tension — most notably by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s sudden withdrawal, which downgraded the meeting and fueled concerns over divisions among Western allies.
Though officially attributed to “scheduling conflicts,” the move came amid reports that the U.S. pushed Kyiv to accept Russian control over Crimea — a red line for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy downplayed the disruption, insisting that the UK remained fully committed to finding a resolution.
“The UK is working with the US, Ukraine and Europe to put an end to Putin’s illegal invasion,” Lammy said after what he called a “productive call” with Rubio.
Rubio, for his part, vowed to reschedule his trip to the UK in the coming months, signaling continued U.S. involvement — even as Vance suggested the clock is ticking.
Vance said the time has come for both sides to “stop the killing” and freeze territorial lines “at some level close to where they are today,” acknowledging that both Kyiv and Moscow would need to surrender claims to contested territories. The suggestion aligns with a Trump administration proposal that has been gradually taking shape in recent weeks — a plan that appears to favor Russian retention of much of the land seized during the war.
President Donald Trump has struggled to gain major concessions from Russian President Vladimir Putin. In March, Trump proposed an unconditional ceasefire, which Ukraine accepted in principle, but Moscow rejected.
Despite the setback, both sides recently agreed to a temporary halt to attacks on energy infrastructure — a 30-day truce the Kremlin now claims has expired.
Reports suggest Trump’s broader peace plan includes:
- Immediate ceasefire across all fronts.
- Recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea and much of the territory captured during the recent invasion.
- A ban on Ukraine joining NATO.
- An economic agreement allowing the U.S. to tap into Ukraine’s mineral wealth.
- Limited Russian withdrawals from select areas near the Dnieper River and Kherson.
Notably absent is a resolution for the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, leaving one of Europe’s most sensitive security questions unanswered.
Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg will lead the American delegation in Rubio’s absence, but insiders say American influence appears to be waning in the negotiation process. Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to return to Moscow this week to continue behind-the-scenes discussions.
Vance’s ultimatum signals that Washington’s patience may be wearing thin. Whether this hard-nosed diplomacy leads to peace or deepens the divide between allies and Kyiv remains to be seen.
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