Russia recognized it cannot install 'puppet regime' in Kyiv: US vice president

ISTANBUL

US Vice President JD Vance said Russia has made significant concessions in peace negotiations, arguing it has realized it cannot install a "puppet regime" in Kyiv.

"I think the Russians have made significant concessions to (US) President (Donald) Trump for the first time in three and a half years of this conflict, they have actually been willing to be flexible on some of their core demands," Vance said in an NBC News interview aired Sunday.

Vance outlined specific areas where Russia has shown flexibility. "What they have conceded is the recognition that Ukraine will have territorial integrity after the war, they have recognized that they are not going to be able to install a puppet regime in Kiev," he explained. "That was, of course, a major demand at the beginning, and importantly, they have acknowledged that there is going to be some security guarantee to the territorial integrity of Ukraine."

The US vice president, however, acknowledged progress remains incomplete. "Again, have they made every concession? Of course, they have not," he said, while expressing optimism about continued diplomatic momentum.

Asked about Russia's recent attacks, including one on an American company in Ukraine, he said: “I don't like it.”

Vance said Russia has done many things the US did not like since the war began, but added: “What I'm actually excited about right now is that we have a president who is engaging in energetic diplomacy to try to stop the killing.”

Economic pressure strategy

Vance emphasized the administration's use of economic leverage to advance negotiations, saying "sanctions aren't off the table."

Trump has applied "aggressive economic leverage," including secondary tariffs on India to limit Russian oil profits, he said.

Vance said Trump has made clear that "Russia can be reinvited into the world economy if they stop the killing, but they are going to continue to be isolated if they do not stop the killing."

He said the US is applying “aggressive economic pressure” to end the war, and “maybe we'll apply additional pressure.” However, he said that if they believe progress has been made in the talks, they will reduce this pressure as part of the negotiations.

US mediation role

On territorial questions, Vance stressed America's role as mediator rather than decision-maker. "The Ukrainians are going to ultimately make the determination about where you draw the territorial lines in their own country," he said.

Vance claimed that the disagreement between the two countries is over security guarantees versus "where you draw the battle lines in Ukraine."

"We're effectively mediating. We're trying to mediate Ukrainians and the Russians to come to some agreement if the Ukrainians are willing to say something on territory that brings the conflict to the close. We're not going to stop them. We're also not going to force them," he said.

He confirmed Trump's position against US ground troops while maintaining active involvement in securing Ukrainian confidence that they have the security guarantees.

Vance's comments follow Trump's recent Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and subsequent White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders.