Vance: Russia makes significant concessions toward Ukraine peace deal

Vance: Russia makes significant concessions toward Ukraine peace deal

U.S. Vice President JD Vance has expressed optimism about the progress being made in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, stating that significant concessions have been made by Russia towards a potential settlement [1]. Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press with Kristen Welker," Vance highlighted several key concessions, including Russia's recognition that it cannot install a puppet regime in Kyiv and its acknowledgment of a security guarantee for Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Vance emphasized that these concessions represent a significant shift in Russia's stance after three and a half years of conflict. He noted that while there has been no clear advancement towards ending the conflict, the progress made is encouraging. The Vice President also mentioned that sanctions against Russia would be considered on a case-by-case basis, with new penalties unlikely to prompt a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, the top diplomat of the European Union (EU), Kaja Kallas, has warned against pushing Ukraine to give up territories to Russia as part of a future peace deal. In her first UK interview since EU leaders joined Donald Trump's White House peace talks with Ukraine, Kallas stated that letting Russia keep Ukrainian territories is a trap that Putin wants the international community to fall into [2]. She stressed the importance of credible and robust security guarantees for Ukraine, emphasizing that the strongest security guarantee is a strong Ukrainian army.

The EU has put together the 19th package of sanctions to pressure Russia into further discussions, while President Trump has set a two-week time frame for evaluating peace talks. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cast doubt on Putin's willingness to engage in substantive negotiations, expressing frustration over Russia's continued military aggression despite global efforts to stop the war.

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-vp-vance-says-russia-has-made-significant-concessions-toward-ukraine-peace-2025-08-24/
[2] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8zdezm507o