Vance says US 'will walk away' after peace talks scrapped

PLANNED meeting between top US, British, French and Ukrainian diplomats to push forward a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine was scrapped at the last minute yesterday, with US Vice President JD Vance saying negotiations are reaching a moment of truth.

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"We've issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it's time for them to either say yes or for the United States to walk away from this process," Vance told reporters during a visit to Agra, India.

He said it was "a very fair proposal" that would "freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today," with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide further details of the proposal.

Vance's comments came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ruled out ceding territory to Russia as part of any potential peace agreement, calling it a non-starter. The Ukrainian leader spoke on Tuesday in response to reports the Trump administration was proposing a deal that would allow Russia to keep occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a potential peace agreement.