Vance calls ending aid to Ukraine 'one of the proudest' achievements of Trump administration

Prefer on Google by Martin Fornusek U.S. Vice President JD Vance takes the stage during a Turning Point USA event at Akins Ford Arena at the Classic Center on April 14, 2026, in Athens, Georgia. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on April 14 that he is proud of Washington cutting off funding to Ukraine amid Russian aggression, listing it among the Trump administration's top achievements. Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia, Vance recalled being confronted by a Ukrainian-American over his calls to halt funding for Ukraine . "And this person got really agitated at me because I was saying we should stop funding the Ukraine war," Vance said. "And I still believe that, obviously, and it's one of the things I'm proudest that we've done in this administration is we've told Europe that if you want to buy weapons, you can, but the United States is not buying weapons and sending them to Ukraine anymore." In a stark shift from the previous administration, U.S. President Donald Trump ended nearly all new aid to Kyiv, leaving Europe to foot the bill for Ukraine's defense. European partners covered the vast majority of military assistance to Ukraine in 2025, including through the purchase of critically important Patriot interceptors and other American-made weapons. Kyiv has reported delays in deliveries and shortages of air defense ammunition amid heavy Russian winter strikes, with the shortfall expected to deepen as the U.S.- Iran conflict strains supply. Vance has been among the most vocal critics of aiding Ukraine within the Trump administration. He played a central role in a public spat between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky in February that led to a brief halt in all U.S. support. The U.S. vice president also accused Zelensky last week of "threatening" Hungary's outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban and suggested that the fate of contested territories in eastern Ukraine amounts to "haggling over... a few square kilometers." Zelensky hit back by pointing out that Vance is not involved in the peace talks, and that the officials who are would likely better understand the value of Ukrainian territory.