Zelenskyy says JD Vance's "plan" would lead to global conflict

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described a so-called plan for ending the war in Ukraine put forward by Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance as an "awful idea" that could lead to a global conflict.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview for The New Yorker

Details: Zelenskyy said Vance is "too radical" and his plan is an awful idea.

Quote: "His message seems to be that Ukraine must make a sacrifice. This brings us back to the question of the cost and who shoulders it. The idea that the world should end this war at Ukraine’s expense is unacceptable.

But I do not consider this concept of his a plan, in any formal sense. This would be an awful idea, if a person were actually going to carry it out, to make Ukraine shoulder the costs of stopping the war by giving up its territories.

But there’s certainly no way this could ever happen. This kind of scenario would have no basis in international norms, in UN statute, in justice. And it wouldn’t necessarily end the war, either. It’s just sloganeering."

Details: Zelenskyy noted that Vance’s initiative is a "dangerous signal" for Ukraine.

"I should say that it hasn’t been like this with Trump. He and I talked on the phone, and his message was as positive as it could be, from my point of view. ‘I understand,’ ‘I will lend support,’ and so on," Zelenskyy added.

Quote: "[Vance and others who share his views] should clearly understand that the moment they start trading on our territory is the moment they start pawning America’s interests elsewhere: the Middle East, for example, as well as Taiwan and the US relations with China.

Whichever President or Vice-President raises this prospect – that ending the war hinges on cementing the status quo, with Ukraine simply giving up its land – should be held responsible for potentially starting a global war. Because such a person would be implying that this kind of behaviour is acceptable.

I don’t take Vance’s words seriously, because, if this were a plan, then America is headed for global conflict. It will involve Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Taiwan, China, as well as many African countries. That approach would broadcast to the world the following implicit rule: I came, I conquered, now this is mine."

Background:

• On 13 September, Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance outlined the Trump administration's prospective plan to end the war in Ukraine, saying that it could include creating a "demilitarised zone" on Ukrainian territory and denying Ukraine NATO membership.
• US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan heavily criticised Vance’s peace plan at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference.
• Mike Pompeo, a former US Secretary of State in Trump’s administration, believes that JD Vance’s proposals go against US interests.

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