US gives Russia and Ukraine last warning, JD Vance urges to negotiate peace or end talks

THE US has thrown down a final ultimatum to Russia and Ukraine, warning the sides must make a deal now – or it will “walk away”

Trump has been trying to forge a peace deal since he took power, and his patience now seems to be near breaking-point.

JD Vance, Trump’s vice-president, said on Wednesday: “We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians.

“It’s time for them to either say ‘yes’, or for the United States to walk away from this process.”

Vance described the proposal as quite equitable, suggesting that it would lead to a stabilization of the current front-lines, with both parties having to relinquish some of their territory.

He did not provide further details of the proposal, but it could refer to a seven-point peace plan the US has reportedly drawn up.

This was expected to be presented to international foreign minsters in London today, but the talks were scrapped last minute when the US pulled out.

The US efforts to broker peace have included repeated meetings between Putin and special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Putin has continually been accused of scuppering negotiations and seeking to extend the war.

Earlier this month, Trump issued a blistering warning to Putin that he must “get moving” and accept a peace deal.

Then, last week, the US’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed America would turn to other priorities unless progress came quickly.

Speaking after peace talks in Paris, Rubio said: “We’re not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end.

“So we need to determine very quickly now, and I’m talking about a matter of days whether or not this is doable in the next few weeks.

“If it is we’re in. If it’s not, then we have other priorities to focus on as well.”

Hours later, Trump agreed the US would “take a pass” if either Moscow or Kyiv “make it very difficult” to reach a peace deal.

Vance’s latest ultimatum suggests the US has very nearly had enough and is on the brink of abandoning their efforts.

The scheduled substantive discussions in London on Wednesday were canceled after Rubio unexpectedly withdrew at the last minute, citing “scheduling conflicts.”

The summit was supposed to include foreign ministers from major nations, but was scaled back in light of the no-show.

Ukraine’s foreign and defence ministers still met their British counterparts David Lammy and John Healey.

The pared-back talks took place in the wake of Zelensky slamming one of the points reported to feature on the US’s seven-point peace plan.

The US reportedly offered to recognise Russian ownership of Ukraine’s Crimea region, which it invaded in 2014.

The concession was made in exchange for Putin agreeing to freeze the frontline in his last meeting with Witkoff.

According to reports, he also intimated his readiness to cease seizing land and renounce official claims to four regions of Ukraine, as indicated by three sources who spoke to the Financial Times.

But Zelensky vowed Ukraine would not, under any circumstances, hand over the land.

He said: “There is nothing to talk about. This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine.”

This position pits Ukraine directly at odds with the US, in light of the terms of the new peace proposal.

The seven-point plan drawn up by the US would, according The Telegraph, allow Russia to keep some of the land it seized from Ukraine.

However, a glaring omission from the plan is the lack of any clear US security guarantees.

Putin’s proposal to halt advances would mark the first time he has given credible signs he is willing to soften his radical demands.

But European officials briefed on the US-driven peace efforts have warned that Putin is not to be trusted.

They said he would likely use the compromise to manipulate Trump into accepting Russia’s other demands.

One official told the FT: “There is a lot of pressure on Kyiv right now to give up on things so Trump can claim victory.”

Zelensky echoed that warning.

He said that discussions to include Crimea in any peace offer risk placing negotiations into the hands of the Kremlin.

By putting Crimea on the table, he insisted the US would be playing into Putin’s “game”.

Zelensky said: “As soon as talks about Crimea and our sovereign territories begin, the talks enter the format that Russia wants — prolonging the war – because it will not be possible to agree on everything quickly.

“We know where these signals are sounding and will continue to sound.”

He said he did not know whether the inclusion of Crimea originated from Russia or US representatives.

Can there be peace?

BY Lydia Doye

EARLIER this year it seemed hopeful that world leaders would broker a peace deal in Ukraine.

But these hopes are wavering as Putin has repeatedly refused to cooperate, instead choosing to ramp up attacks on Ukraine.

Putin’s latest recruitment drive could have huge ramifications for peace with Donald Trump already voicing serious concerns over Putin’s readiness to agree to a ceasefire in recent days.

Putin has already angered the US President over refusing to commit to any truce agreement.

Trump previously admitted he was “p***ed off” with the Russian tyrant after he called for Zelensky’s removal from office in an effort to stall peace.

In Europe Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron have put forward an idea to help maintain a future truce deal by sending their troops to patrol.

But this proposal has been widely condemned by Putin and his Kremlin pals sparking further Russia-European tensions.