Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance said in an interview with Shawn Ryan on Sept. 12 that Donald Trump's plan to end Russia's war could include the establishment of a special demilitarized zone between Ukraine and Russia, among other arrangements.
Known for his longstanding public sympathy for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his repeated criticism of U.S. aid to Ukraine, Trump has claimed during his presidential campaign that he would end the war within 24 hours if elected, though he refused to provide details of his plan.
Media reports indicated that Trump privately suggested he would end Russia’s war by pressuring Ukraine to cede occupied Crimea and Donbas to Moscow. He also said publicly in May 2023 that he would not guarantee continued defense assistance to Ukraine if he won the presidential election.
According to Vance, Trump could bring Russians, Ukrainians, and Europeans to the negotiating table to "figure out what a peaceful settlement looks like."
Vance said that the plan to end the war could include establishing a so-called "demilitarized zone" between Ukraine and Russia, presumably resembling the current line of demarcation between the countries.
Ukraine would retain its sovereignty, but at the same time it would have to give guarantees to Russia that it would not join NATO or any other allied institutions, Vance added.
During the interview, Vance also claimed that "Russia should not have attacked Ukraine, but that Ukraine also has 'many problems with corruption'."
"It's got a lot to do with money, let's just be honest," Vance claimed, adding that many wars start because of "the fight for resources." Vance described Ukraine as a very "resource-rich country."
Vance, who was selected as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's running mate in July, has been outspoken about his opposition to U.S. aid for Ukraine. He repeatedly has said that he "doesn't care about Ukraine," including just days after the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Vance also repeatedly disparaged Ukraine and voiced his unwillingness to continue U.S. support in leaked text messages with far-right conspiracy theorist Charles Johnson, the Washington Post reported on Aug. 7.
According to the texts, which Johnson shared with the Washington Post, Vance said in October 2023, "Dude, I won't even take calls from Ukraine." The exchange came as congressional Republicans began blocking an aid package for Ukraine, an impasse that continued for several months.
Chris York
