JD Vance expressed concern that Russia is making excessive demands in negotiations with Ukraine, leading to growing frustration in Washington over ceasefire talks. The US vice-president emphasized the importance of direct talks between the two countries and indicated a willingness to walk away if certain benchmarks are not met. Donald Trump echoed Vance’s sentiments, acknowledging the possibility that Russia’s demands may be unreasonable.

Senior US officials, including Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are increasingly frustrated with Russia’s inflexibility in discussions. Despite multiple rounds of direct talks between Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin, concrete concessions have not been achieved. Vance reiterated the White House’s readiness to walk away if progress is not made and stressed the need for Russia and Ukraine to engage in direct dialogue.

Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, Trump warned Russia of secondary sanctions due to ongoing attacks on Ukrainian cities despite ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, Russian officials maintain a hardline stance, insisting on concessions from both NATO and Ukraine regarding security and internal politics.

In response to the situation, Joe Biden criticized Trump for what he termed “modern-day appeasement” towards Russia, highlighting the unrealistic expectation that Ukraine ceding territory would lead to peace. The complex dynamics of the negotiations underscore the challenges in resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.