US Vice President J.D. Vance has called on Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian diesel fuel facilities. He said the attacks are driving up energy prices for American consumers. His comments were made in an interview with the 2WAY TONIGHT program.
When asked if Ukraine is an ally of the United States, Vance said the two countries are partners "in a sense", but have differences on specific issues.
“I think they should stop striking Russian energy”, said J.D. Vance.He cited the attacks on Russian diesel fuel infrastructure as an example of a divergence between the interests of Washington and Kiev. According to the vice president, the United States will continue to work with Ukraine in some areas, but does not support all the actions of the Ukrainian leadership.
Washington does not consider Ukraine an official ally
Vance said that there is no official alliance between the United States and Ukraine. He stressed that Ukraine is not a member of NATO and said that he does not believe that the country should join the alliance.
“This is a country that deserves great respect, with many remarkable people“, said the American vice president, adding that Washington and Kiev will have both common and opposing positions.
The statement comes amid growing tension over the US administration's policy towards the war in Ukraine. In October, President Donald Trump announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply diesel fuel from Russia after Washington demanded that Kiev limit its attacks on Russian oil and energy infrastructure.
Kiev links the strikes to Russian attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was losing a strong partner after the United States eased pressure on Moscow. He warned that easing sanctions pressure would not help end the war and could give the Kremlin the impression that its actions were gaining support.
Ukraine has been attacking Russian energy facilities as part of its efforts to cut off the resources that Moscow uses to support its military operations. Russia, in turn, has continued to attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure. So far, there is no evidence of a lasting agreement between the two sides to end attacks on energy facilities.
Sources: pravda.com.ua, eurointegration.com.ua, apnews.com