Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have warned that the United States will walk away from peace negotiations if Russia and Ukraine do not agree to a U.S.-proposed peace deal.
The U.S. has presented a seven-point peace proposal to Russia and Ukraine, which includes recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea and freezing territorial lines close to the current frontlines. "We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say yes or for the U.S. to walk away from this process," Vance, who is visiting India with his family, told reporters.
"We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians; and it’s time for them to either say, 'Yes,' or for the United States to walk away from this process," the vice president said. "We’ve engaged in an extraordinary amount of diplomacy, of on-the-ground work. We’ve really tried to understand things from the perspective of both the Ukrainians and the Russians. What do Ukrainians care the most about? What do the Russians care the most about? And I think that we put together a very fair proposal. We’re gonna see if the Europeans, the Russians and the Ukrainians are ultimately able to get this thing over the finish line."
Under the peace plan, Russia will get De Jure U.S. recognition of Russian control over Crimea and de facto recognition of Russian control over the captured territories in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Oblasts. Russia will return the small parts of Kharkiv Oblast that it holds in the Vovchansk, Lyptsi, Kupyansk, and Borova directions.
Ukraine will gain unimpeded passage through the Dnipro River. And the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant will be considered as Ukrainian territory, but operated by the U.S. It will supply electricity to both Ukraine and Russia. Also, Ukraine will not join NATO; however, it could join the European Union.
Under the plan, all post-2014 sanctions on Russia will be lifted. The U.S. will enhance economic cooperation with Russia, particularly in the energy and industrial sectors. Ukraine will obtain a "robust security guarantee" with European countries and "like-minded" non-European countries; U.S. participation is not mentioned.
Ukraine will receive compensation and assistance for rebuilding. The source of this funding is unknown. The plan also references the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal which both countries will sign soon if all goes to plan.
High-level talks in London Tuesday, aimed at bringing a pause to the fighting disintegrated after Rubio and President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff pulled out of the meeting, due to Kyiv’s resistance to the peace plan.
On Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters that Rubio would not be attending the talks due to "logistical issues."
Rubio later wrote in a post on X that he was planning on "following up after the ongoing discussions in London and rescheduling my trip to the UK in the coming months."
Zelenskyy has ruled out recognising Crimea, which was annexed by Putin in 2014, as a Russian territory, after reports suggested this was part of the negotiations between Russia and the US.
“This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine,” he said on Tuesday.
Zelenskyy's comment drew the ire of Trump who wrote on Truth Social Wednesday, "Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, 'Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here.' This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion.
"Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired? The area also houses, for many years before 'the Obama handover,' major Russian submarine bases. It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War. He has nothing to boast about!
"The situation for Ukraine is dire — He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country. I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever.
"The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the 'killing field,' and nobody wants that! We are very close to a Deal, but the man with 'no cards to play' should now, finally, GET IT DONE. I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this Complete and Total MESS, that would have never started if I were President!"
On Friday, Rubio suggested that the U.S. might walk away from negotiations to end the war within "a matter of days," despite Trump’s ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire deal. Trump later told the press that Rubio was "right in saying that we want to see it end."
