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By Isabel van Brugen
News Reporter
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Nate Vance, a cousin of U.S. Vice President JD Vance who said he volunteered to fight for Ukraine in 2022, is now publicly condemning the Trump administration's treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment by email.
Why It Matters
On February 28, U.S. President Donald Trump and JD Vance clashed with Zelensky at the White House. During the meeting, the American leaders accused Zelensky of disrespecting the U.S. and said Ukraine had no leverage left.
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Shortly after, the administration paused military aid to Ukraine—including real-time intelligence sharing, which has been critical to Kyiv's battlefield operations—as part of a broader effort to pressure Zelensky into negotiations to end the war. Nate Vance's comments echo the concerns of those who believe the Trump administration has been too favorable toward Russian President Vladimir Putin during peace talks.
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What We Know
"We are Vladimir Putin's useful idiots," Nate Vance told French newspaper Le Figaro, accusing his first cousin and the U.S. president of ambushing Zelensky in the Oval Office.
A former U.S. Marine, Nate Vance said he volunteered for Ukraine's Da Vinci Wolves First Motorized Battalion after Russia's full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. He said he was drawn to Ukraine by curiosity and a sense of adventure but also felt a strong urge to help—whether through logistics or medical support.
"I could see that history was being written in front of me, and I wanted to be part of it," he said.
Nate Vance said he fought in some of the war's bloodiest battles, including those in Kupiansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Pokrovsk. He said he returned from Ukraine in January before his cousin's swearing-in as vice president, adding that it had become too risky to stay.
"I couldn't take the risk of being captured," he said.
Nate Vance said that when the U.S. vice president criticized aid to Ukraine, he tried to convince himself that his cousin had done so "to please a certain electorate, that it was the game of politics."
"But what they did to Zelensky was an ambush of absolute bad faith," he added.
The former Marine said he was disappointed in his cousin's stance on Ukraine and that JD Vance never attempted to make contact with him to find out the truth about the war.
"Being your family doesn't mean I'm going to accept you killing my comrades," Nate Vance said.
"I was disappointed. When JD justifies his distrust of Zelensky by the 'reports' he has seen, I thought I was going to choke," he continued. "His own cousin was on the front lines. I could have told him the truth, without pretense, without personal interest. He never tried to find out more."
"Donald Trump and my cousin clearly believe they can placate Vladimir Putin. They are wrong. The Russians are not about to forget our support for Ukraine," Nate Vance added.
What People Are Saying
CIA Director John Ratcliffe told Fox Business on March 5: "President Zelensky put out a statement that said, 'I am ready for peace, and I want President Donald Trump's leadership to bring about that peace.' And so I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause that allowed that to happen, I think will go away, and I think we'll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, as we have, to push back on the aggression that's there."
U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on February 28: "Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media."
What Happens Next
The U.S. and Ukraine are set to hold talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry has said the kingdom is committed to pursuing "a lasting peace to end the Ukrainian crisis."
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