WASHINGTON – US Vice President JD Vance defended his recent comments about European military capabilities today, insisting he was not specifically targeting France or Britain when he dismissed the idea of a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
During a Fox News interview yesterday, Vance had mocked the proposal of sending “20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years.” The remark sparked backlash from officials in London and Paris, as both the UK and France have expressed willingness to deploy ground troops to enforce a potential Ukraine peace deal.
In response to the criticism, Vance clarified on X that he had never named France or Britain, acknowledging that both nations had “fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond.” However, he continued to question the viability of a European-led peacekeeping mission, stating, “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, who has become one of President Donald Trump’s most vocal foreign policy advocates, has drawn attention for his sharp criticism of Europe in recent weeks. At last month’s Munich Security Conference, he delivered a controversial speech accusing European leaders—particularly in Germany—of restricting free speech and marginalizing political parties opposed to mass immigration.
His stance on Ukraine has also been a point of tension. Last Friday, during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Washington, Vance was reportedly the first to challenge him in a heated White House meeting. The visit was expected to yield an investment agreement in Ukraine’s mineral sector as a step toward a ceasefire, but instead, Trump abruptly dismissed Zelensky without signing a deal.
Yesterday, Trump escalated tensions further by cutting off US military aid to Ukraine, reinforcing concerns that his administration is sidelining Kyiv and European allies while favoring direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has so far refused to involve the US in the proposed Anglo-French peacekeeping mission.