U.S. Vice President JD Vance visits Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site in Dachau, Germany February 13, 2025. (REUTERS/Leah Millis)
Vance’s comments came a day before the vice president is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich. The discussions will be closely watched by European leaders to gauge where President Trump stands on negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, which is nearing three years.
President Trump had what he described as a "lengthy" phone call with Putin on Wednesday, which included the Russian leader agreeing to "immediately" begin negotiations over the war in Ukraine.
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Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the two leaders "agreed to work together, very closely."
"We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now. I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful."
United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, walks with Britain's Defense Secretary John Healey prior to a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, on Wednesday, Feb. 12. (Johanna Geron/Pool Photo via AP)
"I don't see any way that a country in Russia's position could allow ... them to join NATO," Trump said Thursday. "I don't see that happening."
When asked what he thought Russia should give up to reach a deal, he noted that talks have not yet begun and that "maybe Russia will give up a lot, maybe they won't."
At NATO headquarters, Hegseth reiterated Thursday that "simply pointing out realism like the borders won't be rolled back to what everybody would like them to be in 2014 is not a concession to Vladimir Putin." He said it's a recognition of realities on the ground.
He added, though, that neither Russia nor Ukraine will "get everything that they want" and stressed that "any negotiation that's had will be had with both."
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for a response to Vance’s comments.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vance-warns-us-use-sanctions-military-action-putin-doesnt-agree-ukraine-peace-deal-report