In a rare mix of humor and diplomacy, Vice President JD Vance revealed he jokingly warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to “behave” before their high-stakes meeting with former President Donald Trump this week.
The summit, which had major implications for the MAGA movement and the Republican Party’s future, also gave Vance a chance to weigh in on speculation about the 2028 election.
Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday, Vance recalled his brief icebreaker with Zelensky. “Zelensky walked into the Oval Office.
I was chatting with him and I said: ‘Mr. President, so long as you behave, I won’t say anything,’” Vance quipped. “It was a good little icebreaker.”
The Summit: A Step Toward Peace
Vance joined Zelensky and several European leaders on Monday to discuss potential paths for ending the long-running conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
The VP’s lighter approach was a sharp contrast to a previous White House meeting that reportedly descended into chaos after Vance chastised Zelensky for not saying “thank you.”
Beyond the icebreakers, Vance has been tasked with helping coordinate a meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
When asked about dealing with Putin, Vance challenged the common stereotype of the Russian leader as cold and ruthless.
“He’s more soft-spoken than you’d necessarily expect. The American media has a particular image of him,” Vance said.
“He’s very deliberate, very careful. Fundamentally, he looks out for what he believes are Russia’s interests.”
Advice to Elon Musk and the GOP
Vance didn’t shy away from sharing political advice for Tesla billionaire Elon Musk during the interview.
Responding to speculation that Musk might launch a third-party effort in 2026, Vance urged him to stay within the Republican fold.
“If he doesn’t like things the Republican Party’s doing, my advice to Elon would be: try to fix the Republican Party,” Vance said.
“Disagree with me all you want, disagree with the president, but don’t pretend you can make a big difference with a third party.”
He emphasized that Musk, regardless of his personal stance, is perceived by liberals as part of the American right.
“The idea that Elon is ever going to go back to the middle where Democrats and Republicans both like him, that’s just not going to happen,” Vance added.
Rallying in Georgia Ahead of Midterms
Vance is taking his message to the campaign trail, heading to Georgia on Thursday to rally support for Trump’s achievements while challenging Senator Jon Ossoff, who is up for re-election.
“We will have fun and talk about the successes of the big beautiful bill,” Vance said, referring to Trump’s signature legislative initiative.
The Georgia race could determine whether Republicans maintain their six-seat Senate majority, and Vance’s rallies are intended to boost Republican down-ballot candidates.
On Gavin Newsom and Authenticity
Turning his attention to California politics, Vance criticized Governor Gavin Newsom for attempting to mimic Trump’s style on social media.
“This idea that Gavin Newsom is somehow gonna mimic Donald Trump’s style—I think that ignores the fundamental genius of Trump’s political success, which is authenticity,” Vance said.
He added that Newsom hasn’t moved away from what he described as Democrats’ “crazy” positions on immigration and transgender athletes in sports.
Secret Murdoch Meeting and Montana Trip
Speculation about Vance’s 2028 ambitions flared in June after a private visit to Rupert Murdoch’s Montana ranch.
There, Vance met with the media mogul, his son Lachlan, and Fox News executives to discuss promoting the Trump agenda.
Details of the conversation remain undisclosed, though Vance and his wife later took a hike in the Montana wilderness, according to Montana State Auditor James Brown.
Musk’s Support for Vance in 2028
The Wall Street Journal reports that Musk is considering backing Vance for president in 2028.
The tech billionaire, who invested nearly $300 million to support Trump in 2024, sees Vance as the likely GOP successor.
Other high-profile backers include Palantir CEO Peter Thiel, former PayPal COO David Sacks, Roku CEO Anthony Wood, and entrepreneur Palmer Luckey.
Vance’s recent public role in the Trump-Zelensky meetings, including his insistence that Zelensky “behave” and say “thank you” to Trump, has drawn significant media attention.
The Washington Post noted that Zelensky thanked Trump repeatedly during his Oval Office remarks, demonstrating the impact of Vance’s diplomatic nudges.
Ukraine’s Strategic Moves
Zelensky came prepared to negotiate deals in true Trump-style deal-making.
Ukraine plans to purchase $100 billion in American weapons as part of a major step toward peace.
European allies are assisting Ukraine in financing this initiative, along with a $50 billion deal with Washington to produce drones.
Trump confirmed that the U.S. would help guarantee Ukraine’s security, with European nations acting as the first line of defense.
Although he declined to rule out deploying American troops, any support is expected to be primarily in air support.
Zelensky praised the moves as a “major step forward” and emphasized the importance of unconditional leader-level meetings to resolve the war.
Vance’s Central Role in Diplomacy
As the mediator between Russia and Ukraine, Vance will work closely with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
Trump publicly thanked Vance for his efforts, acknowledging his pivotal role in the ongoing diplomatic talks.
Zelensky, for his part, remains cautiously optimistic, emphasizing the need for unconditional dialogue to avoid jeopardizing progress.
