US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday, August 10, that any peace deal to end the war in Ukraine will likely leave both Russia and Ukraine unhappy. Speaking on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, he said, “It’s not going to make anybody super happy. Both the Russians and the Ukrainians, probably, at the end of the day, are going to be unhappy with it.” He added that the main goal for the US is to help create an agreement that both sides can accept, even if it does not fully satisfy them.

Trump to Meet Putin in Alaska

Vance’s comments came two days after US President Donald Trump announced plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska. The meeting will focus on a possible ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict. Trump said that Russia and Ukraine were close to reaching a deal that could stop the fighting, but it might require Ukraine to give up important land captured by Russian forces since the invasion began in February 2022.

Ukraine Rejects Giving Up Land

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy quickly dismissed the idea that Ukraine would surrender any territory. On Saturday, he stated firmly, “Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupiers.” He also reminded everyone that Ukraine’s constitution bans giving away land to foreign forces.

Possibility of Three-Way Talks

Vance said the US is considering direct talks involving Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy. Still, he suggested that Putin should meet Trump first. “We’re at a point now where we’re trying to figure out… scheduling… around when these three leaders could sit down and discuss an end to this conflict,” Vance explained. A White House official later confirmed that Trump is open to a three-way summit but that current efforts are focused on the one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin.

The War’s Current Status

Russia’s large-scale invasion, which started in 2022, has caused massive damage and suffering. It is considered Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, displacing millions and killing tens of thousands. Western countries have responded by imposing strict sanctions on Russia.

In 2023, Ukraine launched a counterattack that recaptured some territory in the south and east. But since then, the front lines have barely changed through 2024 and into 2025. Russia still controls Crimea (seized in 2014) and large parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. Ukraine, with help from Western military support, focuses on defending key cities and disrupting Russian supply routes. Meanwhile, Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s energy systems and infrastructure using missiles and drones.

Challenges to Peace

Earlier peace talks held in Belarus and Turkey failed because Russia and Ukraine could not agree on land and security issues. Experts say any new agreement will need to cover Ukraine’s hopes to join NATO, Russia’s demands for troop withdrawals, and security guarantees for both countries.

Peace Likely Means Compromise

With the Alaska meeting approaching, hopes for a quick solution are low. Vance suggested that peace may come not as a clear victory but as a compromise, where both sides feel they lost more than they gained.