The US vice-president has sparked a row with his comments about a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
In a post on social media, Vance added: “But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful.”
Vance said”The very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.
“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.”
Vance’s comments came as the US paused military aid to Ukraine, following an explosive spat between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week.
So far only the UK and France have publicly committed troops towards policing any potential peace deal in Ukraine, although Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously said a “number of countries” have agreed to.
Keir has said US security guarantees – such as air cover – will be needed to deter Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine again, if there is a deal to end the war.
The UK and France have said they would be willing to put troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of a peace deal.
Vance has since insisted he did not “even mention the UK or France”, adding that both had “fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond”.
However, he did not specify which country or countries he was referring to.
