JD Vance has been a great VP for the Trump admin. He’s certainly pulling his weight and then some.
And Putin is furious after what Vice President Vance said to these foreign leaders.
Vice President JD Vance has made notable strides in his diplomatic efforts ahead of President Donald Trump’s upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Vance’s meetings with European officials, held just before Trump’s Friday discussions in Alaska, were aimed at advancing the U.S. goal of resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
A source close to the matter revealed that Vance’s meetings, at the request of the U.S. government, involved U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy and other key figures. These talks focused heavily on the war in Ukraine, setting the stage for the critical discussions between Trump and Putin.
According to what a U.S. official said to The Daily Wire, the discussions on Saturday led to “significant progress toward President Trump’s goal of bringing an end to the war in Ukraine.”
Vance’s diplomacy included meetings on Friday at Chevening House in Kent, England, and continued on Saturday, where he met with Lammy and other officials to not only address the situation in Ukraine but also issues such as the Middle East, the economy, and technology.
These talks mark a renewed U.S. effort to bring a resolution to the war that has raged for more than three years. Last week, Trump proposed a potential deal involving territorial swaps between Russia and Ukraine, a suggestion aimed at advancing negotiations and ending the conflict. Russia currently controls around 20% of the territory in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has been outspoken about the need for further international pressure on Russia.
In a video posted to X on Sunday, Zelenskyy called for additional sanctions against Russia, emphasizing that no substantial steps toward peace have been taken by the Russian government.
He argued that the global community—particularly the U.S. and Europe—must increase pressure on Russia to cease its military operations. “If Russia does not want to stop the war, then its economy must be stopped,” Zelenskyy stated.
Although Zelenskyy has expressed interest in attending the upcoming summit between Trump and Putin, he has not received a formal invitation.
In a conversation on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures, Vance explained that the U.S. is working on facilitating a meeting that could include Zelenskyy, but he cautioned that it should take place after Trump’s initial talks with Putin.
“One of the most important logjams is that Vladimir Putin said he would never sit down with Zelenskyy,” Vance said, noting that Trump’s diplomatic efforts have successfully shifted Putin’s position on this issue. Since the war began, Zelenskyy has not held direct talks with Putin.
WATCH:
President Trump is close to securing the most significant diplomatic accomplishment in my lifetime, and he's doing it by focusing on peace and bringing an end to the conflict.
America is lucky to have this kind of bold leadership at such a pivotal moment in world history. pic.twitter.com/bzwCOZjnz0
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 10, 2025
As the date for the Trump-Putin summit approaches, Russia has voiced its approval of Alaska as the meeting’s location. A statement from the Russian government emphasized the geographical connection between Russia and the U.S., referencing the Bering Strait and suggesting the venue makes perfect sense.
The statement also hinted that the meeting should be a stepping stone toward a resolution of the Ukraine crisis, with Russia proposing that the next meeting between the leaders be hosted in Russia. “An invitation to that effect has already been made to the President of the United States,” the statement said.
The upcoming discussions between Trump and Putin remain critical in the global push for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Vice President Vance has done his part in Europe to help these peace talks advance to their ultimate goal of ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
