U.S. Vice President JD Vance emphasized that Washington is committed to achieving a “lasting” peace during his inaugural meeting with Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky, where they addressed Donald Trump’s inclination toward a deal with Russia.
The discussions held in Munich were viewed as a pivotal moment for Ukraine, which is striving to maintain U.S. support following Mr. Trump’s surprising announcement of peace initiatives with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
“Our goal is to attain a durable, lasting peace, not a short-lived resolution that could lead to renewed conflict in Eastern Europe in just a few years,” stated Mr. Vance as their meeting concluded.
He mentioned that they had engaged in “good conversations” with Mr. Zelensky about how to achieve this objective, with plans for additional discussions “in the days, weeks, and months ahead.”
In a subsequent post on X, Mr. Zelensky expressed, “We are prepared to make swift progress towards a genuine and guaranteed peace,” noting that a Washington envoy would be visiting Kyiv.
I had a productive meeting with U.S. Vice President @JDVance. I appreciate him and his entire team for their insights, which included discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy General Keith Kellogg.
Our teams will keep working on the document. We covered numerous topics… pic.twitter.com/zYc15vqIz8
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 14, 2025
On Wednesday, Mr. Trump unsettled Ukraine and its European allies by agreeing to initiate peace talks in his first publicly announced conversation with Mr. Putin since taking office again.
This significant shift in relations raised concerns that Ukraine might be sidelined after nearly three years of fighting against Russia’s invasion.
U.S. officials have assured that Mr. Zelensky will be part of the negotiations, and the Ukrainian leader expressed his readiness to meet with Mr. Putin following an agreement on a “common plan” with Mr. Trump.
“In this scenario, I’m open to a meeting,” Mr. Zelensky stated at the Munich Security Conference prior to his discussion with Mr. Vance.
Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky addressing the Munich Security Conference
Before their meeting, Mr. Vance remarked that the United States is willing to exert pressure on Russia and asserted that Europe should “naturally” be included in the discussions.
However, he urged Europe to “step up” its defense efforts, allowing Washington to concentrate on other global threats.
U.S. officials have delivered mixed signals regarding Washington’s strategy after Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth seemed to dismiss the idea of Ukraine joining NATO or regaining all of its territory.
Trump’s phone number
This has sparked significant anxiety in Kyiv and Europe, raising fears that Ukraine could be coerced into a detrimental agreement that would empower Putin.
Nonetheless, Mr. Vance told The Wall Street Journal that Mr. Trump would consider all options in potential negotiations, including the possibility of using “military leverage” against Russia to compel a deal.
He withheld further details during a highly anticipated keynote speech, opting instead to criticize Europe over issues of immigration and free speech.
Saudi Arabia, identified by Mr. Trump as a potential location for a meeting with Mr. Putin, expressed its willingness to host any discussions between the two leaders.
Mr. Zelensky seemed to downplay concerns about Mr. Trump neglecting Kyiv, sharing that the U.S. president had given him his personal phone number during their conversation.
“If he chooses our side and doesn’t remain neutral, I believe he will urge and persuade Putin to cease the war,” Mr. Zelensky remarked.
Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned that U.S. President Donald Trump had shared his personal phone number
To maintain a close relationship with Washington, Kyiv has been negotiating to grant access to its rare mineral resources in exchange for future U.S. security support.
European allies, alongside the U.S., who are Ukraine’s strongest supporters, have demanded inclusion in negotiations that will have significant implications for their continent’s security.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen cautioned that forcing Ukraine into an unfavorable deal would undermine U.S. interests.
“I believe that through collaboration, we can achieve a fair and lasting peace,” she declared.
‘New sheriff in town’ in the U.S., Vance tells Munich security conference
Mr. Vance stated that there is a “new sheriff in town” in Washington with Mr. Trump during a spirited address at the conference.
“There is a new sheriff in town, and under Donald Trump’s leadership, we may have differing opinions, but we will defend your right to voice them in the public sphere. Agree or disagree,” Mr. Vance stated.
He also called for Europe to increase its defense spending.
We need your consent to load this comcast-player content. We use comcast-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences
In his keynote address, Mr. Vance criticized the European Union for its regulation of hate speech and misinformation, which he claimed amounted to censorship.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin expressed his disagreement with Mr. Vance’s perspective on European democracy.
“I don’t share the Vice President’s assessment of the strength of European democracy,” he stated on RTÉ’s Six One, live from Munich.
“I believe European democracy is robust… Over the past week, he has been interacting with the European Commission, among others.
Today, he presented his point of view, which I do not endorse.”
We need your consent to load this comcast-player content. We use comcast-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas remarked that Mr. Vance’s speech gave the impression that the U.S. was “trying to pick a fight” with Europe.
“From that speech, it seems that they are trying to provoke us, and we do not wish to engage in conflict with our allies,” Ms. Kallas said at the Munich event.
She emphasized that allies should concentrate on more significant threats, such as Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine.
Ms. Kallas has invited foreign ministers from the bloc attending the conference to convene on Sunday to discuss relations with the Trump administration and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“The purpose of the meeting is to exchange information and evaluate the latest communications with representatives of the United States administration and with Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference,” explained the invitation, which was reviewed by Reuters.
Chernobyl strike
As Europe watches the U.S. stance on Ukraine with trepidation, there is no uncertainty about Mr. Trump’s resolve to prompt Europe to enhance its defense expenditures.
Concerns regarding Mr. Vance potentially announcing significant U.S. troop reductions in Europe did not materialize, but he reiterated warnings that Washington must divert attention to other parts of the globe.
Amid the diplomatic whirlwind in Munich, Mr. Zelensky reported that a Russian drone had targeted a cover built to contain radiation at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, although he assured that radiation levels remained normal.
The Ukrainian air force indicated that Russia had launched 133 drones across the country overnight, including attack drones targeting northern regions where Chernobyl is located.
Mr. Zelensky claimed this incident was evidence that “Putin is not preparing for negotiations; he is getting ready to continue deceiving the world.”
Read more: Taoiseach, Tánaiste to attend Munich Security Conference Latest Ukraine stories
