VP Vance Tells Europe to Take Lead in Funding Ukraine Security

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said European nations will have to assume the “lion’s share” of responsibility for their own security, including the cost of supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. Speaking in a televised Fox News interview late Wednesday, Vance argued that the United States should not continue to carry the financial burden of funding President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s war effort, although he added that Washington "should be helpful if it’s necessary to stop war." Vance’s remarks underscore growing pressure in Washington for European governments to increase defense spending and take the lead in deterring Russian aggression on the continent. The Vice President stressed that any eventual settlement to the conflict will require Europe to "step up," echoing earlier statements by President Biden that the issue is primarily a matter of European security.