Trump’s VP pick vows a ‘rapid close’ to the Ukraine conflict. Discover the potential impact of this promise on international relations and US policy.
According to JD Vance, the recently announced running mate of Republican candidate Donald Trump for the upcoming presidential election in November, a “quick end” will be brought to the Ukraine conflict if Trump is reelected. Vance suggested that instead of focusing on Ukraine, Washington should concentrate their attention towards China since it poses as the “greatest danger” to America.
On Monday at the Republican National Convention (RNC) held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Trump revealed Vance as his running mate. The candidacy of the Ohio senator was subsequently endorsed on that day itself.
Vance, on his official nomination to Fox News, stated that Trump’s stance towards Ukraine would be “very straightforward” if he wins the post-election.
“He said that if Donald Trump had been president, Russia wouldn’t have invaded Ukraine. This statement has the agreement of everyone, even many of my fellow Democrats who admit it privately.”
Vance reiterated his accusation that the US President Joe Biden’s administration lacks a clear strategy regarding the conflict. He questioned, “We have invested $200 billion [in supporting Ukraine], but what is our aim? What are we striving for? Is there a possibility of an escalation resulting in nuclear warfare?” Vance pointed to incompetent foreign policy conduct by several officials operating from Washington, DC and mentioned these as factors contributing towards this risk.
Vance emphasized that the main concern is China, and President Trump intends to swiftly negotiate with both Russians and Ukrainians in order to resolve their conflict. This would allow America to concentrate on tackling the bigger threat at hand.
Ever since Moscow and Kiev started fighting in February 2022, Trump has been asserting on multiple occasions that the clash would not have occurred if he had remained in power as President back in 2020. In addition to this statement, he has pledged to resolve the emergency within a day of his re-election into office at the White House.
Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that the comments made by the former US president are significant to Moscow. Regarding his proposal on ending the conflict, Putin stated that he is not certain about its specifics or how it will be achieved but emphasized that sincerity was evidently present and welcomed such sentiment from him. The fundamental concern remains how said proposition would come to fruition.
Vladimir Zelensky, the leader of Ukraine, requested in early June that Trump disclose his peace plan and provide specific details. Speaking to Bloomberg, Zelensky expressed a desire to understand how fast the war could come to an end. He also urged Trump not to hesitate if there was any danger posed by Ukraine losing its independence or statehood as they would like ample time for preparation against such risks.
On Monday, a senior official from the EU who preferred not to be named informed Politico that Vance being appointed by Trump, someone known for strongly opposing Washington’s aid towards Kiev, is “extremely detrimental” for Ukraine.
