In an exclusive interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," Vance acknowledged the challenges but insisted progress is being made. "We believe we’ve already seen some significant concessions from both sides, just in the last few weeks," Vance stated, though he did not provide specific details.
The interview followed a Russian missile strike on a U.S.-owned electronics plant in western Ukraine that injured several workers. When asked if he was enraged by the attack, Vance responded, “I don’t like it... But this is a war, and this is why we want to stop the killing.” He quickly pivoted to criticizing the Biden administration, claiming President Trump has "done more to apply pressure and to apply economic leverage to the Russians" than his predecessor.
Vance outlined the administration's strategy, which he described as applying "aggressive economic leverage," such as secondary tariffs, to pressure Russia's economy. He firmly ruled out one specific action: deploying American troops. "The president has been very clear," Vance said. "There are not going to be boots on the ground in Ukraine."
This optimistic outlook comes amid new tensions. Russia's top diplomat recently stated that no meetings between Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have been scheduled, casting doubt on the immediacy of a peace deal. Key issues, such as the nature of future security guarantees for Ukraine and Russia's role in shaping them, also remain unresolved.
Vance addressed these concerns by arguing that Russia has already made key concessions, such as recognizing Ukraine's future territorial integrity and abandoning the goal of installing a puppet regime in Kyiv. He characterized the negotiation process as having inevitable "hills and valleys."
The vice president also commented on domestic issues, defending Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas as a move to make the national political landscape "a little bit more fair" in response to what he called aggressive gerrymandering by Democrats.
When questioned about his own political future and speculation that he is Trump's heir apparent for the 2028 election, Vance sidestepped directly. He stated his focus is on being a good vice president and that "the politics will take care of itself."