Trump's VP pick could spell disaster for Ukraine, experts warn

Running for the office of President of the United States, Donald Trump has pointed to J.D. Vance as his candidate for vice president.

The Republican Party candidate is a political novice. In a short time, he has become a leading figure in Donald Trump’s camp. He once sharply criticized the former president and became known in the Senate as a populist, a fan of Viktor Orban, and a critic of supporting Ukraine.

Vance has clearly expressed his views on Ukraine. In 2022, he told Steve Bannon in an interview: "I must be honest with you, I actually don’t care what happens to Ukraine."

"This statement indicates that he believes the United States should accept Ukraine’s defeat. A total defeat: loss of independence and the elimination of the Ukrainian state, nation, identity, and culture, not just part of the territory," says Dr. Grzegorz Kostrzewa-Zorbas, a political scientist, Americanist, and graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Georgetown University in Washington, in an interview with Wirtualna Polska.

"This position is fully consistent with Putin’s goal, who believes that Ukraine is part of Russia and should return to the Russian state. Putin thinks that Ukraine does not exist as a state and nation. From Vance’s statement, it is clear that he accepts this position and Russia’s goal," he adds.

According to the expert, if Trump’s candidate for vice president retains his views before the nomination and implements them, it would be a "disaster for Ukraine."

"Not necessarily a lost war and an absolute disaster, because other countries would still support Ukraine. NATO would also support it, but without making new decisions, as the USA, like any member, has veto power. Washington could also weaken the Alliance’s actual policy in various ways even without official changes," says Kostrzewa-Zorbas.

However, the entire US policy does not depend on the vice president but on the President of the USA. Donald Trump, whose statements are also considered dangerous for Ukraine and NATO, is running for this office.

"He recently promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours as president-elect, immediately after the election. From his other statements, it is clear that to end the war, he would demand significant territorial concessions from Ukraine. Trump assumes that Ukraine would listen to him. Of course, this is impossible. Trump would discredit and embarrass himself with such an ultimatum, which Ukraine would reject, receiving support from all other countries that are currently supporting it. This risk is independent of the choice of vice president candidate," explains the Americanist in an interview with Wirtualna Polska.

In his latest interview given after the nomination, Vance said: "We must quickly end the war in Ukraine, so that America can focus on the real problem, China."

Vance suggested that the current administration could lead to a nuclear war.

"We have spent 200 billion dollars. What is the goal? What do we want to achieve? Is there a risk of escalation to a nuclear war? Because there is if we have fools conducting foreign policy, of which we have many currently in Washington," said Vance in an interview with Fox News pundit Sean Hannity at the Republican convention in Milwaukee.

"I think President Trump promised to go there and negotiate with the Russians and Ukrainians and bring this all to a quick end, so that America can focus on the real problem, China. This is the biggest threat to our country and we are completely distracted," he added.

Vance also supported a tough policy toward Iran and said it should be "hit hard." He also accused Joe Biden of "doing nothing to help our ally Israel" and instead prolonging the war and making it difficult to achieve lasting peace.

Today, the 39-year-old senator from Ohio - one of the youngest vice-presidential candidates in US history - is a leading advocate of Trumpism. In an interview with Fox News, his first after being selected as the vice-presidential candidate, he admitted to having said "bad things" about the former president but assured that he was wrong about him and praised the achievements of Trump’s presidency.