Vice President J.D. Vance has hit back at allegations he disrespected British and French forces during a recent interview, where he argued a U.S. stake in the Ukrainian economy was a “better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.” Contrary to the claims of many pro-war politicians and commentators, the Vice President did not reference Britain or France directly, and he confirmed on Monday that he was not alluding to them.
“This is absurdly dishonest,” he said in response to a Westminster journalist sharing a clip of the interview on social media and asserting he was referring to British and French troops. “I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond,” Vance stated.
Vance’s initial comments coincided with President Donald J. Trump’s decision to pause military aid to Ukraine. Defending Trump’s pause, Vance suggested that a complete withdrawal of U.S. support to Ukraine could test the commitment of European nations to filling the support gap against Russian aggression.
An Italian newspaper correspondent suggested that Vance’s remarks were unfavorable news for European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who have both suggested they might commit troops to Ukraine—although they want U.S. backing.
Vance emphasized that European leaders must realistically assess the situation, noting that public declarations of support for Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky differ from private discussions.
Part of the Trump-Vance strategy includes the rare earth mineral deal President Zelensky was supposed to sign last week before his disastrous meeting at the White House with the American leaders.
Despite the fallout from this meeting, reports suggest Zelensky still wants to sign the deal.
This is absurdly dishonest.
I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. https://t.co/hrkb5pTV8p
— JD Vance (@JDVance) March 4, 2025