Vance Says Rare-Earth Pact Doesn’t Mean Quick Peace as Russia-Ukraine Fighting Continues

U.S. Vice-President JD Vance warned that Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine “is not going to end any time soon,” telling Fox News that Washington’s role is now to help Kyiv and Moscow “find middle ground.” Vance’s remarks follow the signing of a controversial deal that grants American companies a share of future profits from Ukraine’s rare-earth-mineral sector in exchange for continued U.S. security assistance. He defended President Donald Trump’s diplomatic approach, saying any final settlement “has to be up to them” while hinting the White House could guide—but not dictate—the talks.

Vance echoed Trump’s recent suggestion that Kyiv might ultimately cede Crimea, although Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that surrendering the peninsula would violate the nation’s constitution. Secretary of State Marco Rubio separately told Fox that without a “breakthrough” soon, Trump will have to decide “how much time to dedicate to this,” underscoring mounting pressure for tangible results after more than three years of war.

On the ground, Russia pressed ahead despite the Kremlin’s announcement of a three-day ceasefire for 8 May celebrations: drone strikes injured 14 in Zaporizhzhia, while Moscow accused Kyiv of a deadly market attack in occupied territory—claims Ukraine denies. With artillery duels raging and both sides trading ceasefire proposals, Vance admitted that simply pausing the bloodshed remains elusive. The minerals-for-security agreement offers Kyiv a lifeline, but critics say it underscores how intertwined U.S. strategic interests and battlefield diplomacy have become.