The US vice-president also said Russia wants some Ukrainian territory, ‘most of which they’ve occupied, but some of which they haven’t’

US Vice-President J.D. Vance said on Wednesday that European countries will have to take the “lion’s share” of the burden of Ukraine’s security guarantees as Washington tries to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Russia.

“I don’t think we should carry the burden here. I think that we should be helpful if it’s necessary to stop the war and to stop the killing. But I think that we should expect, and the president certainly expects, Europe to play the leading role here,” Vance told Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle show.

“No matter what form this takes, the Europeans are going to have to take the lion’s share of the burden. It’s their continent, it’s their security, and the president has been very clear – they are going to have to step up here.”

Vance also said that negotiations over ending the war in Ukraine are focused on territory Russia wants to control, including Ukrainian territory that Moscow is not occupying.