đ§ PULSE POINTS:
âWHAT HAPPENED: Vice President JD Vance says Putin âdoesnât quite know how to get out of the war,â creating an âimpasseâ that President Trump hopes to break in a direct call with the Russian leader.
đ¤WHO WAS INVOLVED: VP JD Vance, President Donald J. Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, WH Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
đ§žKEY QUOTES:
âAre you serious? Are you real about this?â â JD Vance on Trumpâs expected question to Putin.
âPutin⌠doesnât quite know how to get out of the war.â
âWeâre still more than open to walking away.â
â ď¸FALLOUT: Despite prisoner swaps and tentative proposals, Vance admits peace talks have stalled. Zelensky blasted Putin for failing to show up in Turkey.
IN FULL:
Vice President JD Vance told reporters Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin âdoesnât quite know how to get out of the war,â as President Donald J. Trump prepared to confront him in a direct call scheduled for 10 AM. ET.
Vance, speaking aboard Air Force Two, said Trump would ask Putin if he is âseriousâ about ending the conflict in Ukraine, stressing that America will not âspin its wheelsâ in a futile negotiation.
âThe talks have been proceeding for a little while. We realize that weâre at a bit of an impasse here,â Vance said. âI think the presidentâs going to say to President Putin, look, are you serious? Are you real about this?â
He described the state of negotiations as uncertain, noting that Putin âhas made some concessionsâ but added, âWe feel like weâre at a point where weâre hitting an impasse, and thatâs why the president is talking to him on the phone.â
âIâm not sure that Vladimir Putin has a strategy himself for how to unwind the war,â Vance said. âI think, honestly, that President Putin, he doesnât quite know how to get out of the war⌠I think the president would agree with that.â
Vance confirmed Trumpâs willingness to disengage if the peace process proves unserious: âWeâre still more than open to walking away,â he said. âWe want to see outcomes.â
He said the U.S. was pleased to see the two warring parties âput a real peace proposal on the tableâ and begin to engage in face-to-face discussions. While Putin himself did not attend last weekâs meeting in Turkey, both Russian and Ukrainian delegations met and reportedly agreed to a large-scale prisoner swap.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has agreed to meet with Putin, accused the Russian leader of cowardice for sending a âlow-levelâ delegation, saying Putin was âafraid.â
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed Trump’s sense of urgency, telling The National Pulse that the president has grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict.
Vance said Trump is ready for the moment: âI was just on the phone with him. I know heâs looking forward to it⌠I think heâs the right guy to negotiate for the country.â