Vance explains the Ukraine plan, which Russia prefers sharply

On Wednesday, Vice Vice President JD VANCE called on Ukraine to accept an American peace proposal that is closely consistent with the long Russian goals, including the “freezing” regional lines in a three -year war, the acceptance of Crimea by Russia and a ban on Ukraine to become part of the NATO alliance.

This was the first time that a US official has publicly set a plan to end the war that Russia prefers such stark conditions.

The peace plan that leaves Russian forces deeply in eastern Ukraine will be welcome in Moscow. President Vladimir F. Putin He said for about a year To accept the ceasefire where Ukraine withdraws forces from Four regions Russia claimed to be its own And drop it Aspirations to join NATO.

Vice President’s comments were designed to increase pressure on President Voludimir Zelinski from Ukraine, who has long refused to accept a Russian occupation of his country’s lands, including the seizure of the Crimea in 2014 and the lands taken by Russia after Ukraine invaded in early 2022.

In a second blow to Mr. Zellinski, President Trump criticized the Ukrainian President on Wednesday afternoon, writing about the social truth, and his position on social media, “He can have peace, or he can fight for another three years.”

Mr. Vans, who was speaking during a trip to India, said that the United States would “think” of the peace process if both Ukraine and Russia reaches the American conditions. But Mr. Zelinski was clearly the goal.

“We have issued a very clear proposal for both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it is time for them to either say yes or the United States to stay away from this process,” Mr. Vans told reporters. “The only way to stop the killing is to put armies their weapons, to freeze this and continuously with the best construction work of Russia and the best Ukraine.”

The Vice President’s comments came a few hours after Mr. Zellinski said that his country will never accept the occupation of the Crimea in Russia in 2014 as legally, adding that doing this would violate the constitution of Ukraine. He also said that Ukraine could not accept any ban against becoming part of NATO.

“There is nothing we are talking about,” Mr. Zelinski told reporters.

On Wednesday afternoon, Yulia Sfridinko, the Ukrainian Minister of Economy, pledged that her country “will never recognize the occupation of the Crimea.” Writing on x, social networking site, is He said “Ukraine is ready to negotiate – but not to surrender. There will be no agreement for Russia the strongest foundations it needs to reassemble its ranks and return with more violence.”

In his statement, Mr. Trump accused Mr. Zellinski of making the “inflammation” statements that he claimed would prolong the war.

“If he wanted the Crimea, then why did they not fight for him eleven years ago when he was handed over to Russia without shooting?” Mr. Trump wrote. “The statement made by Zelinski today will do nothing but prolong the” killing field “, and no one wants it!”

The threat of Mr. Vans to stay away from the peace talks was similar to comments last week from Foreign Minister Marco Rubio and President Trump, who said in the Oval Office that if the two sides did not quickly agree on a deal, “We will only say,” You are a fool, you are fool, you are terrible people, and we will just pass a pass. “

On Wednesday, Mr. Vans told the correspondents in India that under the American proposal, “we will freeze regional lines at some level near their place today.”

He added: “The current lines, or somewhere near them, are the place that I was in the end, I think, you will draw the new lines in the conflict.” “Now, of course, this means that the Ukrainians and the Russians will have to abandon some of the lands they currently own.”

The vice president did not mention what Russia should surrender. Russia is currently running 18.7 percent of Ukraine, according to Dibstati, an online research group with relations with the Ukrainian army.

Freezing will mainly force Ukraine to hand over large areas of land to Russia and will violate the principles of self -determination and borders that have prompted the United States and European countries to support Ukraine since the invasion of Russia.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Kremlin welcomed the statements of Mr. Vans.

“The United States continues its mediation efforts, and we definitely welcome these efforts,” said Dmitry Peskov spokesman. “Our interactions are continuing, but, certainly, there are many nuances about the settlement of peace that must be discussed.”

The aggressive payment for an agreement by the administration of Mr. Trump is a blow to European leaders, who spent weeks in an attempt to support the position of Ukraine by hearing peace talks with the United States. The first effort held last week in Paris, and another session is scheduled to start on Wednesday in London before Mr. Rubio announced that he was no longer attending.

Mr. Rubio’s decision to cancel the arrest of the British government, according to a British official, said David Lami, the Secretary of State, was fully expecting the Foreign Minister in London on Wednesday.

Diplomats are still at the lowest level of Britain, France, Germany, Ukraine and the United States, they bring technical conversations. But the absence of Mr. Rubio or Steve Whitchov, the chief negotiator for Mr. Trump in Russia, renewed the concerns that Ukraine and Europe were marginalized as the Trump administration appears to be working primarily with Russia.

Caroline Levitt, the White House press secretary, said on Tuesday that the Master Witkev was scheduled to be in Moscow later this week.

Andrei Yermak, Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian President, arrived in London on Wednesday morning for size talks, along with the country’s ministers in defense and foreign affairs.

“Despite everything,” he wrote on X, the social media platform, after its arrival, “We continue to work for peace.”

Even before his comments on Tuesday, Mr. Zellinski expressed his opposition to the American demands in a conversation with the Secretary -General of NATO, Mark Retty, according to an official familiar with the conversation. The official said, Mr. Zelinski put his positions in the Crimea and NATO peninsula, and subsequently called Mr. Roti, Mr. Trump and the transfer of the answer of Mr. Zellinski.

Instead of participating in a greater meeting, Mr. Lammy met with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, while the British Defense Secretary, John Haley, met his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustum Umerov. Mr. Lammy also decreased at a lunch that included the senior national security advisers from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the Ukrainian delegation and General Keel.

Reports previously contributed Ségolène Stradic From Paris Stephen Erlangeger and Anton Troyanovsky From Berlin Natalia Vasiliva From Istanbul and Andrew E. Church From Kyiv, Ukraine.