After Vice President JD Vance appeared on Fox News' "Hannity" on Monday night to address the Russo-Ukrainian war, his remarks ruffled the feathers of many in Europe, including and especially in the United Kingdom. Not only has the vice president addressed his remarks over X, his office is also weighing in.
When speaking with host Sean Hannity, Vance criticized the previous Biden-Harris administration's plan, which was in effect when Russia's Vladimir Putin felt emboldened enough to invade Ukraine. The vice president summed up the Biden-Harris plan of sending billions of dollars and weapons, "and hope eventually they can turn the tide," as Vance put it. "Hope is not a strategy--throwing money and ammunition at a terrible conflict, that is not a strategy. The only guy in town with a strategy is the President United States, and everybody needs to follow his lead," he continued.
Hannity also expressed his concern with such a plan, adding how the minerals deal between the United States and Ukraine "would have provided the money to rebuild their country and a strong US presence and maybe European troops as well."
"This is an important part of it," Vance made clear. The president knows that. Look, if you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans [an] economic upside in the future of Ukraine. That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years. The security guarantee, and also the economic guarantee for Ukraine is to rebuild the country and ensure that America has a long-term interest. You're not going to do that if you come to the Oval Office, insult the president and refuse to follow his plan for peace."
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Hope is not a strategy to bring peace to Ukraine.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) March 4, 2025
The only person in town who seems to have a strategy is President Donald J. Trump. pic.twitter.com/Tuitz2ZJ8R
Those remarks from Vance, which did not mention any specific nation, and certainly not the United Kingdom, sparked coverage from several UK outlets, including from Express on how "Donald Trump branded a 'Russian asset' as fury erupts at JD Vance's British troops insult." As the Irish Star even claimed, "JD Vance slams UK as 'some random country' after tense interaction with Prime Minister."
Other outlets from the UK, including The Guardian, with "JD Vance’s traumatic past doesn’t explain his bullying of Ukraine: his 'might is right' doctrine does," and The Independent with, "JD Vance is emerging as the real power in White House – it could mean a decade of 'mafia-style malice' for Europe," also insisted on targeting Vance following last Friday's fiasco at the White House.
Not all in the UK are going after Vance, though. Kemi Badenoch, a member of Parliament, shared her thoughts in a clip that has been shared over X. "I know JD Vance quite well. I've looked at the comments, I don't think he actually said that! A lot of people are getting carried away. They're saying loads of things and getting quite animated let's keep cool heads," she said about the vice president.
'I know JD Vance quite well. I've looked at the comments, I don't think he actually said that! A lot of people are getting carried away. They're saying loads of things and getting quite animated let's keep cool heads.' — Kemi Badenoch pic.twitter.com/IBGLZ5VrZZ
— GB News (@GBNEWS) March 4, 2025
Not long after Vance's appearance on "Hannity," Taylor Van Kirk, who serves as the press secretary for the vice president, released a statement in which she also reminded of Vance's own military service, in addition to how the hysteria proves his point.
"The Vice President served in Iraq himself, of course he honors the service of European troops in support of the United States. The Vice President was clearly speaking about the many European countries who have allowed their militaries to atrophy under a blanket of American security. It’s shameful for the media to purposefully misrepresent what he said, but the fact is their hysterical reaction proves the Vice President’s point," Van Kirk mentioned. "The reality is there’s not a single country in Europe that has the military resources to meaningfully deter Russia without American assistance. Many of these countries have served valiantly in support of American and NATO missions in the past, but it’s dishonest to pretend those contributions amount to anything comparable to the mobilization that a hypothetical European army would need."
Vance himself has also responded over X to posts from those British journalists taking issue.
But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) March 4, 2025
It's worth reminding that Europeans have had it out for Vance since he dared to call Europe out for their threats coming from within, including and especially free speech concerns last month with his remarks at the Munich Security Conference.
Vance's concerns have been proven true, not merely in how pro-lifers could be arrested in the UK for peacefully praying, or one's social media posts could land one arrested in Germany, but also because a Swiss councilor not long after raised the idea of banning social media platforms, including X.
Ukraine and the Trump administration's plan for peace has certainly been in the news lately. Earlier on Tuesday, just days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had quite the disastrous visit to the White House in a meeting with President Donald Trump and Vance, and less than 24 hours after the White House confirmed aid would be on hold in Ukraine, Zelenskyy has apologized.
I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025
None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under…
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