CNN
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Vice President JD Vance warned on Thursday that the United States could send troops to Ukraine and hit Russia with further sanctions if Vladimir Putin doesn’t negotiate a peace deal in good faith.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, Vance said the option of sending US troops to Ukraine was “on the table,” as well as economic punishment if a peace deal doesn’t guarantee Kyiv’s long-term independence.

“There are economic tools of leverage, there are of course military tools of leverage” Vance told the newspaper.

His comments strike a markedly different tone from other recent statements from the White House – including from US President Donald Trump who suggested this week that Ukraine “may be Russian someday,” shortly before announcing that peace negotiations would begin immediately after holding a phone call with Putin.

Vance’s statement also contrasts with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has said the US would no longer prioritize European and Ukrainian security. This week, he told NATO allies that European and non-European troops – but not Americans – would have to police any agreement between Ukraine and Russia.

CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.

The Wall Street Journal interview was published just hours before Vance is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the high-level Munich Security Conference in Germany.

It adds to the air of uncertainty and anxiety that has enveloped Europe in the past week, after Trump’s announcement sparked fears that a “dirty deal” may be struck with Putin to end the war on terms favorable to Moscow without Kyiv’s involvement.

Many in Europe were shocked Trump appeared to make key concessions to Moscow before even agreeing to peace talks. His and Hegseth’s comments also threw into question the future of NATO’s future unity, resources and funding, a cornerstone of European security since the Second World War.

There was also surprise that Trump spoke to Putin before speaking to Zelensky, with European leaders on Thursday scrambling to make clear any peace deal would have to involve Ukraine at the heart of negotiations.

After Trump’s announcement of the peace deal negotiations, French President Emmanuel Macron also described his return to the White House as an “electroshock” for Europe in an interview with the Financial Times.

Macron underlined the need for Europe to strengthen its economy and defenses, agreeing with Trump’s stance that Ukraine’s security was a European responsibility. But he also emphasized that only Ukraine could negotiate for itself, and that any peace that was a “capitulation” would be bad news for everyone.