Vice President JD Vance Warns Of Economic And Military Pressure On Russia

 Vice President JD Vance stated on Thursday that the United States could use economic and military leverage against Russia if President Vladimir Putin does not engage in peace negotiations with Ukraine in good faith.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Vance said that deploying U.S. troops to Ukraine remains “on the table” as an option, alongside economic measures, if a peace deal fails to ensure Ukraine’s long-term independence.

“There are economic tools of leverage, there are, of course, military tools of leverage,” he said.

Diverging Messages from Washington

Vance’s remarks contrast with recent statements from other U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, who suggested earlier this week that Ukraine “may be Russian someday” before announcing that peace talks would begin following a phone call with Putin.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also taken a different stance, stating that European security is no longer a top priority for the U.S. He told NATO allies that any post-war security arrangement between Ukraine and Russia would have to be enforced by European and non-European troops—excluding American forces.

The Wall Street Journal interview was published ahead of Vance’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

NATO’s Role in the Future

Upon arriving in Munich, Vance reaffirmed the importance of NATO but emphasized the need for greater burden-sharing among European allies.

“Europe is, of course, a very important ally to the United States, NATO is a very important military alliance,” Vance told reporters alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “But we want to make sure NATO is actually built for the future, and part of that is ensuring that NATO does a little bit more burden-sharing in Europe so the United States can focus on some of our challenges in East Asia.”

His remarks come amid growing uncertainty in Europe following Trump’s unexpected announcement of peace talks with Putin. Many European leaders fear a potential deal that could favor Moscow without Kyiv’s full participation.

European Leaders React

Trump’s decision to speak with Putin before consulting Zelensky raised concerns among European officials. Leaders across the continent have since scrambled to emphasize that Ukraine must be at the center of any negotiations.

French President Emmanuel Macron described Trump’s return to the White House as an “electroshock” for Europe in an interview with the Financial Times. He stressed the need for Europe to strengthen its own economic and defense capabilities, agreeing with Trump that Ukraine’s security should primarily be a European responsibility. However, he also warned that any peace settlement that amounted to Ukraine’s capitulation would be a dangerous precedent for global security.

As diplomatic discussions continue, the divide within the U.S. administration and its NATO allies over how to approach Russia and Ukraine’s future remains a key issue in international relations.