Overview

• On NBC’s Meet the Press, the vice president said every major war ends in negotiation, citing World Wars I and II, a claim historians corrected by noting WWII concluded with Germany and Japan’s unconditional surrenders.
• Vance also asserted Russia has made “significant concessions,” including accepting no puppet regime in Kyiv and some form of security guarantees for Ukraine, points that Russian officials have publicly pushed back on.
• NBC reports there is little public evidence of Kremlin movement and quotes Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov insisting Russia must be part of any security framework and questioning President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s legitimacy.
• Uncertainty over private discussions at the recent Alaska meeting lingers, as experts note closed‑door talks could explain Vance’s statements even though on‑the‑record signals from Moscow remain hardline.
• Ukraine’s president said he will meet Trump envoy Keith Kellogg about a potential leaders’ summit, while European officials, including the EU’s Kaja Kallas, say Russia has not made a single concession.