By ROB CRILLY, CHIEF U.S. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN MUNICH, GERMANY

Published: 14:07 GMT, 14 February 2025 | Updated: 14:08 GMT, 14 February 2025

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Moscow on Friday demanded an urgent explanation of Vice President J.D. Vance’s warning that the U.S. could use military action in Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree to a peace deal. Vance said ‘everything is on the table’ as President Donald Trump pushes for an end to the war.

But his words triggered outrage in Russia. 'This was a new element about the (U.S.) position. We have not heard such formulations before, they have not been voiced before,' government spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters. 'So, of course, during the very contacts that we have been talking about, of course, we hope to receive some additional clarification.' Trump has led a softening of the U.S. position on Ukraine and held a 90-minute call with Putin on Wednesday.

But his words triggered outrage in Russia. ‘This was a new element about the (U.S.) position. We have not heard such formulations before, they have not been voiced before,’ government spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters. ‘So, of course, during the very contacts that we have been talking about, of course, we hope to receive some additional clarification.’ Trump has led a softening of the U.S. position on Ukraine and held a 90-minute call with Putin on Wednesday.

He called for Russia to be readmitted to the G7 group of highly industrialized nations and suggested that he trusted Putin to deliver on a deal. Vance offered a more robust line when he was interviewed Thursday by the Wall Street Journal. 'There are economic tools of leverage, there are of course military tools of leverage' the U.S. could use against Putin, Vance told the newspaper.

He called for Russia to be readmitted to the G7 group of highly industrialized nations and suggested that he trusted Putin to deliver on a deal. Vance offered a more robust line when he was interviewed Thursday by the Wall Street Journal. ‘There are economic tools of leverage, there are of course military tools of leverage’ the U.S. could use against Putin, Vance told the newspaper.

Vance gave the interview ahead of a major speech at the Munich Security Conference, at a moment of world peril, as the established world order is in danger of crumbling under Putin's assault on Ukraine. Vance is also expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky later Friday, at the end of his five-day trip to Europe. But the meeting has been delayed in order to accommodate Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose plane was forced back to Washington after mechanical problems.

Vance gave the interview ahead of a major speech at the Munich Security Conference, at a moment of world peril, as the established world order is in danger of crumbling under Putin’s assault on Ukraine. Vance is also expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky later Friday, at the end of his five-day trip to Europe. But the meeting has been delayed in order to accommodate Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose plane was forced back to Washington after mechanical problems.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials accused Russia of attacking the radiation shelter protecting Chernobyl's damaged nuclear reactor. President Donald Trump is pushing for an end to the conflict and is putting pressure on both sides to find a settlement. Trump upended years of support for Ukraine with a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, kickstarting talks between Moscow and Washington.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials accused Russia of attacking the radiation shelter protecting Chernobyl’s damaged nuclear reactor. President Donald Trump is pushing for an end to the conflict and is putting pressure on both sides to find a settlement. Trump upended years of support for Ukraine with a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, kickstarting talks between Moscow and Washington.

His defense secretary Pete Hegseth said Ukraine would not be able to keep its pre-2014 borders, but quickly had to walk those comments back. Meanwhile European leaders insist that any negotiations must include Ukrainian leaders. 'The Ukraine war has to end,' Trump told reporters Thursday. 'Young people are being killed at levels that nobody's seen since World War II. And it's a ridiculous war.'

His defense secretary Pete Hegseth said Ukraine would not be able to keep its pre-2014 borders, but quickly had to walk those comments back. Meanwhile European leaders insist that any negotiations must include Ukrainian leaders. ‘The Ukraine war has to end,’ Trump told reporters Thursday. ‘Young people are being killed at levels that nobody’s seen since World War II. And it’s a ridiculous war.’

Trump is unconcerned with accusations that he is selling out Ukraine, and instead paints his proposals as the sort of out-of-the-box thinking that is needed after three years of war. Vance himself appeared to go further than Trump in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, suggesting that military action could be used to pressure Putin.

Trump is unconcerned with accusations that he is selling out Ukraine, and instead paints his proposals as the sort of out-of-the-box thinking that is needed after three years of war. Vance himself appeared to go further than Trump in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, suggesting that military action could be used to pressure Putin.

'There are economic tools of leverage, there are of course military tools of leverage' the U.S. could use against Putin, Vance told the newspaper. On Friday morning he hammered the message that European nations should spend more on defense.

‘There are economic tools of leverage, there are of course military tools of leverage’ the U.S. could use against Putin, Vance told the newspaper. On Friday morning he hammered the message that European nations should spend more on defense.

'NATO is a very important military alliance, of course, that we're the most significant part of,' he said ahead of a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. 'But we want to make sure that NATO is actually built for the future, and we think a big part of that is ensuring that NATO does a little bit more burden sharing in Europe, so the United States can focus on some of our challenges in East Asia.'

‘NATO is a very important military alliance, of course, that we’re the most significant part of,’ he said ahead of a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. ‘But we want to make sure that NATO is actually built for the future, and we think a big part of that is ensuring that NATO does a little bit more burden sharing in Europe, so the United States can focus on some of our challenges in East Asia.’

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Russia responds to VP Vance’s threat of military action in Ukraine

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