Vice President JD Vance suggested during a recent podcast appearance that U.S.-Ukraine relations have improved substantially following a heated confrontation he had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office back in February 2025. Speaking on the latest episode of “Pod Force One,” which aired Wednesday, October 29, Vance characterized the relationship between the two nations as “much more productive” in the months since the incident.
The vice president’s comments came during a wide-ranging discussion about foreign policy, recorded around the time of his appearance at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi on Tuesday, October 28. At that gathering, Vance stepped into a role previously filled by the organization’s slain founder, Charlie Kirk, taking questions from students on various policy matters, including immigration and foreign affairs.
While Vance did not elaborate on the specific details of the February confrontation with Zelenskyy, his characterization of the relationship as having evolved suggests the blowup may have served as a crossroads in how the Trump administration engages with Kyiv. The vice president has been working closely with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on foreign policy matters, with the two officials maintaining offices just feet apart in the West Wing.
According to people familiar with the arrangement, Rubio spends most of his time not at the State Department but inside the White House, where he uses the national security adviser’s office. The proximity has allowed Vance and Rubio to hold regular meetings, often with few others present, to discuss what has become an expansive foreign policy agenda. A White House staffer indicated the two likely speak every day, coordinating on issues ranging from the Israel-Hamas peace effort to their joint visit to the Vatican.
Their working relationship has drawn increased scrutiny after President Donald Trump recently suggested that Vance and Rubio are his two most likely successors. Trump stated he was not sure anyone would run against the pair, elevating speculation about the 2028 presidential race even as his current term continues.
Vance offered a statement characterizing his relationship with Rubio, noting that Trump “has incredible confidence in Marco Rubio who dutifully supports the president’s vision and works tirelessly to accomplish our foreign policy goals.” He added that Rubio is “reliable, incredibly competent and a true asset to the Administration.”
The vice president’s comments about Ukraine came amid broader discussions about American foreign policy priorities. At the Mississippi event, Vance spoke forcefully about avoiding American deaths in what he termed “unnecessary foreign conflicts,” while touting Trump’s Middle East diplomacy and the strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. He emphasized the administration’s approach even as the U.S. steps up military pressure on Venezuela and conducts strikes on boats allegedly transporting drugs.
During the Turning Point USA appearance, Vance also advocated for a significant reduction in legal immigration, declaring that “we have to get the overall numbers way, way down.” He suggested the optimal number of legal immigrants to admit is “far less than what we’ve been accepting,” though he declined to offer a specific figure when pressed by an attendee who questioned his stance. Vance criticized former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, claiming they allowed too many people into the country and threatened American social cohesion.
The relationship between Vance and Rubio dates back to their time serving together in the Senate, where they collaborated on legislation, including The William S. Knudsen Defense Remobilization Act, which called for a national strategy to revitalize defense production. Senator Eric Schmitt, who entered the Senate with Vance in 2023, told USA TODAY the two officials relate to each other’s humble beginnings and share a similar sense of humor, often sitting together during Senate lunches.
Vance’s public appearances have also touched on personal matters, including his faith and family life. At the Mississippi event, he discussed his wife Usha’s Hindu faith and his hope that she might eventually convert to Christianity, comments that later sparked controversy on social media. Vance defended his remarks on Friday, characterizing criticism as “anti-Christian bigotry” and explaining that his wife encouraged him to re-engage with his faith years ago, even though she has no plans to convert herself.
As Vance continues to shape foreign policy alongside Rubio, his comments about the Ukraine relationship signal a potential shift in how the administration approaches one of its most complex international challenges. The vice president’s assertion that relations have become more productive since the February confrontation suggests the administration views direct, even confrontational, engagement as yielding diplomatic benefits.
