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Vance Rebukes McConnell Over 'Appeasement' Claims in Contentious Ukraine Peace Proposal

02:52 AM, 11/26/2025

Vice President Vance publicly rebuked Sen. Mitch McConnell after McConnell warned the administration against "appeasing" Vladimir Putin in a proposed Ukraine peace framework. Vance called the criticism "ridiculous," questioned McConnell's motives, and asked whether prospective Kentucky successors share his stance. The draft deal under review would recognize Russian control of Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea, limit NATO and Ukraine's military options, and has prompted bipartisan concern that it could reward aggression. Lawmakers and officials continue to debate whether the plan would deliver lasting peace.

Vice President Vance on Monday pushed back sharply against Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), after the former Senate Republican leader warned the administration against "appeasing" Russian President Vladimir Putin in a proposed Ukraine peace framework.

Exchange on X Sparks Debate

Posting on X, Vance called McConnell's comments "a ridiculous attack on the president's team," saying the administration had "worked tirelessly to clean up the mess in Ukraine that Mitch — always eager to write blank checks to Biden's foreign policy — left us." He also questioned whether the three candidates seeking to succeed McConnell in Kentucky share the senator's views.

"If Administration officials are more concerned with appeasing Putin than securing real peace, then the President ought to find new advisors," McConnell had said in a statement that drew Vance's response.

McConnell, who stepped down as majority leader in November 2024 and plans to retire from the Senate in January 2027, remains influential as chair of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. He joined other lawmakers from both parties in cautioning that the initial draft of the proposal appeared to favor Russian demands.

What the Draft Deal Would Do

The draft terms under discussion would provide Russia international recognition of its control over Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as Crimea — which Moscow annexed in 2014 — and allow it to retain the areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia it currently occupies. The proposal reportedly would require Ukraine to reduce the size of its armed forces, bar NATO forces from deploying to Ukrainian territory, and prevent Kyiv from expanding its relationship with NATO.

U.S., Ukrainian and European delegations left recent talks expressing guarded optimism, and officials said Ukraine had agreed to the "core terms" of the plan, though it remained unclear which provisions might be revised from the version first obtained by outside media.

Concerns About Rewarding Aggression

McConnell argued that a settlement that leaves Ukraine vulnerable would not stop the fighting. Citing polling he said showed more than three-quarters of Ukrainians would continue to fight without U.S. support, McConnell warned that "rewarding Russian butchery would be disastrous to America's interests." He added that Americans do not support forcing Ukraine to cede territory.

Vance framed McConnell's criticism as political and questioned whether it reflected national security priorities or partisan posturing. The exchange highlights growing tensions among U.S. leaders over how to balance pressure on Russia with efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire or peace arrangement.

The debate is likely to continue as negotiators and their political backers weigh what concessions, if any, are acceptable to end the war while preserving Ukraine's sovereignty and regional stability.

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Vance Rebukes McConnell Over 'Appeasement' Claims in Contentious Ukraine Peace Proposal - CRBC News