U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said that Ukraine is “to some extent a partner” of Washington, but not an ally, and opposed its accession to NATO. He also believes that Kyiv should stop striking Russian facilities linked to diesel fuel and energy infrastructure.
Vance made the remarks in an interview with the 2WAY channel. He stressed the distinction between the terms “ally” and “partner,” noting that allied relations involve closer ties.
“To my knowledge, we do not have a formal alliance agreement with Ukraine. It is not a member of NATO and, in my view, should not be. It is a country that inspires great admiration, a beautiful country where many wonderful people live. On some issues, we will cooperate, while on others our positions will be opposed.”
J.D. Vance, U.S. Vice President
Vance’s position on strikes against Russian facilities
Among the issues on which, according to Vance, the interests of the United States and Ukraine “diverge,” he named strikes on Russian oil refineries. The U.S. vice president linked such attacks to rising energy costs for Americans.
“I believe they should not strike Russian facilities related to diesel fuel, which in turn raises energy costs for Americans. They should stop bombing Russian energy infrastructure.”
J.D. Vance, U.S. Vice President
At the same time, Vance said that Washington would continue cooperating with Kyiv “in certain areas.”
Zelenskyy’s proposal and tensions in relations
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had proposed halting strikes on Russian oil refineries for 30 days in exchange for U.S. assistance in protecting Ukrainian airspace for the same period.
The article notes that relations between Ukraine and the United States deteriorated after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a “diesel” deal with Vladimir Putin on October 9, under which Russia would be able to export its fuel.
It also claims that Trump is demanding that Ukraine hold elections and replace Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president said that a U.S. shift to Russia’s side would be a “historic mistake.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, for his part, rejected accusations that Washington supports Russia.
